Moonlight Shadow
by ilovemybishies87
Summary: .:COMPLETE:. “Wait!” Orihime called to him, stopping Ulquiorra before he could reach the window. “There...there is one thing I want to know. Why--" Her voice caught in her throat. "Why couldn't I save you?" .:UlquiHime:.
1. Chapter 1

It was a quiet night in Karakura, the stars shining down on the quaint town. There was an odd sense of peace that filled the air, as though the city had never been in danger of being completely destroyed. Orihime knew better.

Even though they had managed to stop Aizen from creating the King's Key, they had not been able to destroy him before he hid once more, this time deeper into Hueco Mundo. Gin and Tousen, the other Shinigami traitors, followed behind him, neither looking worried at this slight set back.

All the Espada that he had so "lovingly" created had been killed, something that Soul Society took as a victory, albeit a small one. Orihime wasn't sure she agreed with them, not completely. While many of the Arrancar she had met were cruel, heartless, or blood-lusting creatures, not all of them were. _He_ had been different.

_"Are you afraid of me, woman?" _

Those were the words he had asked while his hand reached out towards her. Not to strike her down, not to cause her bodily harm in anyway, but almost...pleading. It had shocked her, if only for a moment, to see such an unguarded expression on his face. Then again, it seemed everything he did, everything he said, surprised her in some way. He was not what she had expected of her enemies; yes, he was cold and ruthless with his words, but he had never been cruel just to be cruel.

"_I'm not afraid."_

It was true; she hadn't been afraid of him. Still, her actions confused her when she saw her hand reaching out to touch his, like some invisible force was pulling her towards him. But before she could touch him, his hand and the rest of his being had turned to ash.

"From ashes to ashes; from dust to dust," she whispered to no one. She stared up at the ceiling, her body begging for sleep. But it eluded her, like trying to catch sunlight in a jar.

She sat up in her bed and looked to the nightstand to the right. Her alarm clock read 2:34 a.m. She sighed as she let herself fall back down, covering her eyes with her hands.

This was becoming a more common occurrence as the weeks passed, she noticed. With each passing day she would fall asleep later and later. It didn't cause her much worry at first; she had attributed it to the stress of being taken to Hueco Mundo and back and everything in-between. However, now it was starting to take a toll on her body, and even her grades were beginning to suffer.

Orihime took in a deep breath then released it, trying to relax every muscle in her body. Slowly, she felt herself slip into the beginnings of sleep. She could still sense everything around her, but her whole body felt heavier, as though it were sinking into the bed sheets. She smiled contently.

She was on the edge of sweet, dreamless sleep when the alarm next to her rang. She nearly jumped at the sound, her eyes popping open. She turned towards the clock. Surely it couldn't be time for school already, could it?

The numbers flashed back at her: 4:00 a.m.

Orihime squeezed her eyes shut, thinking that perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her, and looked at the clock again. But no, it still read 4:00. Sitting up and swinging her legs over the sides, she scooted to the edge of the bed. She leaned over to the alarm clock and switched it off, confusion running through her head.

Hadn't she set the alarm for 7:00? She was almost certain she had, but then, considering her state of mind, maybe she had somehow set it to 4:00 instead. In her half-waken state, she decided that answer was good enough. Setting the alarm to the correct time, she climbed back into bed. She just hoped she'd be able to get enough sleep before her alarm went off again.

"You called for me, and now you're going back to sleep? What a strange human you are, woman."

That speech pattern, that voice--she knew it all too well. She sat up, confused, and turned to her left, towards the large window that looked out over Karakura town. Her eyes widened as her gaze settled onto a familiar form.

"Ul...quiorra?" she said, her breath slightly airy.

He didn't look like he had the last time she'd seen him, in his released form. Instead, he was in the form that she had grown to know best: his half mask on the left side of his head, his tear marks smaller and green, his clothes intact and pristine, and his eyes...

Still as piercing as ever.

The lack of sleep _must_ have caused her to go crazy, Orihime decided. Or maybe this was just a dream--a really weird dream, to be sure--which would mean she had finally been able to get to sleep after all.

Well, there was only one way to find out. She pinched the back of her hand, hard. She let out a small cry, having not expected any pain.

"Woman, what are you doing?" His tone was neutral, but somehow he managed to make her feel foolish all the same.

Blushing, she said, "I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming."

"And are you?" he asked lazily.

She shook her head, a couple of stands sticking to her face. "It seems not."

Silence quickly filled the room.

"How are you here?" she asked after a few minutes. "I mean, you're--" She stopped herself before she could finish. She realized she had never admitted to anyone, even to herself, that he was--

"Dead?" Ulquiorra finished for her, closing his eyes. His voice was too calm to her, like he was talking about the weather. "That is correct."

She looked at him, ready to ask him something else, when she noticed it: there was something off about him. The room itself was dark, but he...wasn't. Somehow, the image of him looked almost surreal compared to everything else, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why. After a moment, Orihime figured it out. There was a slight glow to his body, like he was reflecting light from some unknown source.

She slid off the bed, standing a few feet away from him. "Are you...a ghost or something?"

"No," he said, with the slightest shake of his head. "A ghost would imply that I'm a spirit, a soul that has not yet found their way to wherever they belong, whether it be to Soul Society or elsewhere."

Orihime shudder at the implication. "Then what are you?"

"A shadow."

"A...shadow?" she repeated, tilting her head to the side. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He stood there for a moment, thinking how best to explain it to her. "I am a remnant of the one you call 'Ulquiorra.' I am the culmination of his memories, his thoughts, his feelings, his hopes, and his dreams, nothing more. I am not real. I have never existed as a living thing. I cannot think of the future, for it does not exist for me."

"I see," she said. She took a step back and sat on the edge of the bed, sighing. She could feel herself becoming overwhelmed by his explanation. "I'm sorry, but I really don't understand it at all."

He said nothing, looking at her with his blank, fixed stare.

"You're not Ulquiorra, then."

"No. And yes."

That wasn't confusing at all. She sighed heavily. "Which is it?"

"Both."

She laughed sadly. "For not really being Ulquiorra, you certainly sound like him. Not just the sound of his voice, but the way he spoke as well. Always so cryptic. I felt like I needed a translator to understand what he was saying."

"If it makes it easier for you, just think of me as him," he said, though she sensed that he was somewhat irritated by this. After all, as he said himself, he wasn't _really_ Ulquiorra.

Still, that didn't stop the rush of words from coming out of her, words she hadn't even realized she wanted to say until that very moment. "There's so much I wanted to ask you when we were in Las Noches. I had kept a list in the back of mind, but I never found the time." She paused. "Would you even know the answers?"

"That depends on the question. What did you wish to ask?"

Orihime shook her head. "I can't ask them now. They seem so silly."

"Hm," he said noncommittally. "If there's nothing else, then."

Those words, so familiar to her ears. How many times had she heard him say that when she was in that gilded cage of a room?

"Wait!" she called to him, stopping him before he could reach the window. "There...there is one thing I want to know."

Ulquiorra turned around, a small flicker of curiosity flashing across his face before it disappeared.

"Why--" Her voice caught in her throat. "Why couldn't I save you?"

* * *

_Her hand was still stretched out to touch his, but he was already gone. She could hear Ichigo and Ishida call to her, feel their hands on her shoulders, but the sensations were dull. It was like they weren't even there. All she could focus on was the spot in front of her._

_She summoned Ayame and Shun'no, placing the shield where he once stood. She had heard whispers while she was there about the extent of her powers; Godlike, one of the lower Arrancar had said. She could reject anything, from a person's existence to any event that had happened, as long as her powers were strong enough. If that were the case, then maybe, just maybe she could bring him back._

"_I-Inoue," Ichigo said, his voice bewildered. "What are you doing?"_

_She knew she could bring Ulquiorra back. She knew it. Still, nothing happened. His body didn't start to come back like she hoped it would. The ash didn't return. She could feel her eyes well up in frustration. _

"_Inoue-san," Ishida's soft voice said. His hand was covering the wound on his stomach. "Let it go. You can't save everyone, especially our enemies." _

_Why was she so desperate to have him back? _

_

* * *

_

Before Ulquiorra could respond, she shook her head. "Never mind. I don't think you'd know anyway."

He looked at her, an odd expression on his face that she had seen only once, just before he disappeared. "I must go soon."

"Huh?" she said, feeling almost hurt. "Why?"

"It will be morning," he said, looking at her alarm clock. She followed his gaze and realized he was right. It was only a few minutes before 5:00, and while it was still fairly dark outside, the sun would be rising soon. "I can only come to you when it is the moon's time to rule the sky."

"Will you come tomorrow night?" she asked hopefully.

"If you call for me, I have no choice but to come."

"Um," she started, just as he was making his way to the window again. She blushed. "Can you do something for me before you go?"

He turned around, his eyes fixed onto hers. "What?"

"Can...can you put your hand out?" Orihime held her arm out to him, her fingers twitching slightly. "Like this?"

It was a silly request to satisfy a silly hunch, but he did it, his fingers mere inches from her own. Taking a deep breath, Orihime started walking towards him, closer, expecting at any moment for her fingers to go straight through his hand.

But they didn't. She could feel them, warm and solid against her own. Then, with the slightest of movements, she closed her hand, interlocking it with his. His eyes widened, his mouth slightly parted, before he did the same.

She looked down, the peachy color of her hand contrasting starkly against his white skin and black nails. The image burned itself into the back of her mind. It looked...right. More importantly, it felt right, the sensation of warmth flowing between them. She never wanted to let go.

Glancing up at him, she could feel that same pull, the one that had made her hand reach out for his in the first place. What was this feeling? It was like...coming home.

Finally, and somewhat reluctantly, they loosened their grip on each other, letting their hands fall to the sides. She sighed. Why did her heart seem to ache, just a bit, when they let go?

"Sleep. You humans need it," he told her. "Especially you."

"Is...it that obvious?" she asked sheepishly.

He pointed to the spot beneath her eyes. "Yes."

Orihime nodded and started heading towards the bed. Once she was situated, she turned back to him, already in front of her bedroom window facing her. She looked at him curiously, wondering if he still had something to say to her, when she noticed the tips of his fingers. They were fading, then the hand connected to them did the same. Soon, his whole body was transparent, to the point that she could barely make out the outline of his form. It continued to fade, revealing more of the view from the window behind him.

The moon, full and bright, was creeping toward the horizon, relinquishing his dominion over the land to the sun once more.

Then he was gone.

She stared at the spot for a moment before laying down in her bed, where she had been a little over an hour ago. However, this time she felt more at peace, and when she closed her eyes, she easily fell asleep.

* * *

"It's already noon?!" Orihime exclaimed as she held her alarm clock in disbelief. "But I know I set the alarm for 7:00!" She hung her head in dismay. "School will be out soon. Is it even worth it to go there this late?"

A scrap of paper on the floor near the nightstand caught her attention. It couldn't have been there yesterday, since she had cleaned before going to bed. Leaning over, she picked it up. Her eyes moved across it, reading the words that had been quickly scrawled in black ink, before her hand shot up to her mouth, her eyes welling with tears. She couldn't stop them, the tears trailing down her cheeks and landing on her lap. So he had known the answer.

_Because you already have._


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! I honestly didn't expect to get that many. Now, I know a number of you hoped that I would continue with this story. Well, you got your wish! I'll try to keep author's notes to a minimum in future chapters.

Anyway, enjoy! And please remember to review! Even though I don't respond to all of them, I do read them and take them to heart. Besides, it's the only form of payment we fanfiction writers get.

* * *

After getting ready for the day, Orihime decided the least she could do was try to keep up with her studies. She had no idea how much would be covered, but she figured a chapter for each subject would be good enough. A couple of hours into her reading session, though, there was a knock on the front door.

She looked up from the book in her hands: history, her least favorite subject. Placing the book on the table, she stood, crossed the living room, and opened the door only to reveal...

"Ishida-kun?" she said, blinking a couple of times before smiling. "Good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon, Inoue-san," he replied, his glasses slightly fogged and his face tinted red. Had he run all the way to her apartment? But if that were the case, why wasn't he out of breath?

Orihime looked at the papers in his hand. "Did you come here just to bring me my homework? You're too nice! You didn't have to do that."

He shook his head quickly, his gaze focused on his feet instead of her eyes. "It was nothing at all. More importantly, I wanted to make sure you were okay." He glanced at her. "But from the look of things, I would say you're better than okay."

"It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do."

"I'm glad to hear that. We've all been worried about you since we've..." He stopped, a worried look on his face.

Come back from Hueco Mundo, she finished for him in her head. It seemed that all three of them--Ichigo, Ishida, and Sado--were making a conscious effort not to mention that name, like they feared she would break at the mere mention of it. While a part of her appreciated the thought and the good intentions behind it, their actions frustrated her.

She wasn't some glass figurine, threatening to break at the slightest fall. She was stronger than that. Inwardly, she sighed. Considering the events that had happened in Las Noches, perhaps they had the right to treat her that way. She hadn't given them any reason not to.

"Anyway," he said, hoping to break the awkward silence between them, "Ichigo and Sado wanted to come check on you, too, but they got...a little...sidetracked, if you know what I mean."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Another Hollow attack, huh? For some reason I had hoped they would stop or, at the very least decrease, since we put a halt to Aizen's plans."

For the meantime, anyway.

"It doesn't matter. Hollows have been around long before he existed, and I get the feeling they will be around long after he is gone," Ishida said, a hint of defeat in his voice.

Orihime looked behind her, out the window of her small--but cosy--living room, frowning. She could feel Ichigo's reiatsu flair, even as far away as he was, before it returned to normal. "I guess you're right."

"I shouldn't keep you any longer than I already have, Inoue-san," Ishida said quickly, handing her the papers. She gratefully took them from him, but she was confused at his sudden change in demeanor. "Will you be back to school tomorrow?"

She smiled, nodding. "I will. If you see Kurosaki-kun or Sado-kun or Tatsuki before then, please let them know that I just needed some rest."

"I will," he said, returning her smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow!" she replied, closing the door with a slight click. She stood there for a moment, papers in hand, before looking out the window again. It was still a few hours until sunset.

"_I can only come to you when it is the moon's time to rule the sky."_

She walked into the living room, placing the homework Ishida had given her on the table in the center of the room, then sat down. Was that really how it worked? Would he really return? And why only at night? So many questions popped into her head, but she didn't have the answer to any of them. Unfortunately, there was only one person who could possibly know.

She would just have to wait until then. Sighing, she looked at that papers and decided to get to work. The homework certainly wouldn't do itself. It was the least she could do to keep herself occupied.

By the time she was finished, it was nearly 9:30, or so the clock on the wall told her. Standing up, her feet slightly numb from staying in the same position for so long, she stretched her arms high into the air, satisfied with the small pops she heard and felt run down her back.

Moonlight poured in through the window. It was time. Of course, now the only thing she had to do was call him.

How did she call him, anyway? She thought about it, going over last night's conversation for some indication, but came up blank. A look of horror crossed her face, her head between her hands. How could she have not asked him?

Better yet, how could he have not told her?

"Ulquiorra?" Nothing. She tried again, her hands cupped around her mouth, "Ulquiorra?"

"That is quite unnecessary, woman."

She turned around, in the direction she had heard his voice, but he wasn't there.

Her eyes widened as green, iridescent tendrils started to come in through the window. They were thin like thread, twisting and twirling into each other, clumping together in what seemed to be random forms. But the longer the tendrils lingered, the less random the forms became. Orihime could see two arms, then legs and a torso, and finally a head, complete with horned mask. After a few minutes Ulquiorra stood before her, a bit transparent, but complete nonetheless.

"You came after all," she whispered in awe. She took a couple of steps towards him, her hand itching to reach out and touch him, to see if he was really there. "I didn't think you'd come."

He folded his arms across his chest, giving him the effect of looking irritated. His voice, though, was as level as ever. "I told you I would come if you called me. However, it is quite unnecessary for you to literally call out his name."

"I see," she said, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "But if that's the case, then how do I call out to you?"

"Your will alone has enough power to do so."

"My will?" she repeated, blinking a couple of times.

He tilted his head to the side. "It's more powerful than you believe. It's the reason I exist."

"Wait a minute," she said, slowly lowering herself to the ground. She looked up at him, confused and a little curious. "What...do you mean?"

"I am not certain myself. All I can remember is feeling a strange pull towards something...or someone. There was a sense of familiarity in it, but it was like a word on the tip of my tongue. The more I tried to focus on it, the more it slipped away from me. Some time had passed before I figured out who it was." His gaze focused on her. "The first night after I realized it I tried to appear to you, but I was...still incomplete. Unfortunately, finding everything was hard, since it had all scattered to the wind."

"Like ash," she said blankly. Closing her eyes, she willed the images of his outreached blowing away in the wind from her mind.

He nodded in agreement. "Yes. Like ash."

She tried to think of something to say, but words escaped her. It was hard to believe that she was the one who had created him, this shadow of Ulquiorra.

"So, what did you call me for this time?" he asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Orihime nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. She hadn't expected him to start the conversation. "Well," she began, more nervous now than she had been before, though she had no idea why, "there were some things that I wanted to ask you."

"Ask."

"Um...you can sit down if you want, you know," she said, looking at the spot in front of her.

He hesitated for a moment before taking a couple of steps towards her and sitting down. Even sitting his posture remained unnaturally rigid, his legs under his body and his clenched fists in his lap. It was almost as though it were impossible for him to ever look relaxed. "What did you wish to ask?"

"How come you can only visit me at night?"

A beat passed before he answered, "I do not know."

"Then how do you know that you can't come visit me during the day?"

"I've tried," he said, closing his eyes. "I can feel the pull of your will. Sometimes it's even stronger than it is at night, but no matter how much I try, I am unable to appear to you."

Orihime frowned at his answer. "I see. That wasn't as helpful as I'd hoped. Not that I'm blaming you for not knowing the answers, of course!" She held her hands up defensively. "I'm sure you did the best you could, considering the circumstances! Though, I guess it doesn't matter _why_ you can't come during the day as it is that you simply _can't_."

"Indeed."

They sat there in silence, save for the cars passing by outside her apartment. She stared at her lap before a thought occurred to her. "Hey, Ulquiorra?"

"What?" he asked monotonously.

"You said that you can only come when it's the moon's time to rule the sky," she recalled, her gaze now fixed on his. A bit of worry colored her voice. "But what happens if the moon isn't in the sky one night? Does that mean you can't come?"

She thought she saw his lips turn up ever so slightly, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "Even if you do not see it, the moon is always there."

"Back to those cryptic messages again," she told him, letting out something halfway between a sigh and a laugh. "Is there any question you'll answer straightforwardly?"

"Yes, but that depends on what you ask. I can only answer, with any amount of certainty, about events Ulquiorra had been privy to."

"I guess that makes sense, if what you said about being his...shadow...is true." Her voice suddenly took on a more hopeful tone. "I suppose you wouldn't know why Aizen wants the King's Key so badly, would you? That is, other than to get to the Spirit King."

"No, I do not," he said blankly. "He never told Ulquiorra or any of the other Espada what he hoped to attain by creating the King's Key, and no one ever questioned him."

"Oh. I just thought since he seemed to trust you the most, leaving Las Noches in your hands while he was gone and all, that you might know. I guess not."

"Aizen-sama didn't trust anyone other than Aizen-sama. He was very much like an Arrancar in that respect." He paused. "Is there anything else you wish to know?"

Orihime sighed softly. There were a lot of things she wanted to know, but she got the feeling he wouldn't know the answer to any of them. Still, there were some questions she could ask him that he should know the answer to.

"Well, it's sort of silly..." she started, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. He looked at her expectantly. "But what ever happened to that bracelet?"

"Bracelet?" he repeated, blinking once. "Are you referring to the one that would allow only Arrancar to sense your presence? The one that would allow you to pass through solid materials?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that one. I told you it was a silly question. I'm not sure why I want to know what happened to that thing. I only had it for a little while, but it was very nice and all, almost as good as some of the bracelets I've seen through the windows of the higher-end jewelry stores."

"What do you think happened to it?" he asked, a small lilt in his voice.

"I always figured it was thrown out, like my school uniform." She hesitated for a second. "My uniform was thrown out, right? I never really asked about that, either. I just assumed so."

"You are correct on that count. The clothing you were wearing when you arrived at Hueco Mundo had indeed been thrown out."

She wasn't sure whether to feel proud of herself for correctly figuring out the fate of her clothing. Mostly, she was irritated; because they had thrown out the only uniform she owned, she had to buy another one when she had returned home.

Thankfully Tatsuki had footed half the bill for her, no questions asked. Without her, Orihime wouldn't have been able to pay for the whole thing on her own, unless she didn't want to eat for a week.

"Is that so?" She smiled, though she was certain even he could tell it was a facade.

"The bracelet, on the other hand, did not suffer the same fate," he said, perhaps in the attempt to distract her. "After you had arrived in Las Noches and you had given Ulquiorra back the bracelet, he returned it to its rightful creator."

"Oh? And who would that be?"

"Do you remember an Espada by the name of Szayel Aporro Granz?"

"Vaguely..." she said, her voice trailing off as she tried to recall the Espada in question. A moment later, she snapped her fingers. "Ah! The one with pink hair and glasses, right?"

"That's correct."

"I'm sort of surprised I can remember any of them, considering I only met most of them once and for five minutes at the most." She shudder slightly. "His aura freaked me out, though not as much as his smile. I've seen that look before. It was like he wanted to strap me down and dissect me."

"At the very least," Ulquiorra said, looking off to the side. "It was no secret that he wanted to, but Aizen-sama wouldn't permit it. He wanted you intact."

She never thought the day would come that she would be thankful for something Aizen had done. Of course, if he hadn't kidnapped her in the first place, she wouldn't have been in that position at all.

But then, she never would have met Ulquiorra either. She looked at the shadow sitting in front of her sadly. How cruelly ironic life was.

"Perhaps we should save this conversation for another time," he said, standing up effortlessly, not a wrinkle in his clothing. "It's getting late, and you still look like you could use some rest."

Her gaze moved across the back wall until it landed on the clock. It felt like the wee hours of the early morning, maybe 3:00 or 4:00, but it was only midnight.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" she asked, standing up and walking towards him. For some reason, she got the feeling of déjà vu.

He nodded. "If that's what you want."

He closed his eyes and began to fade, like he had done the night before. After about a minute, he was gone.

Orihime was still amazed at the sight, though for some reason it made her heart ache just a little. It was like a small part of her was worried that he might not come back.

She shook her head. This wasn't the time to dwell on such thoughts. After turning the lights off in the living room, she cautiously made her way to the bedroom. Not even bothering to change out of her clothes into something more comfortable, she peeled back the covers and got into bed, her eyes half-closed.

Then, like the night before, she lost herself in deep, dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The silence between them was starting to become oppressive. Yes, she had been the one to call him. Yes, he had appeared to her, just like he had done the past two nights. But now that he was there in front of her, she found herself at a loss for words.

"You seem pleased," she said, mostly to break the silence, but also because...it was true. There was something about him that seemed to exude pride.

"And how do you know that I am pleased, woman?"

Orihime shrugged, a small smile gracing her lips. "I'm not really sure. You look and act the same, but there's something different about you, too. I can't put my finger on it, but it's like the aura around you has changed. It's lighter than normal."

"I see," Ulquiorra said. Without warning he held out his hand, his thumb and index finger pinched together to hold a small, silver circlet. "Here, take it."

Her eyes widened as a bit of moonlight reflected off its smooth surface. She leaned in a little, inspecting the object as best she could in the dim lighting. "Is that...?"

"_I'm giving this to you. Put it on, and do not take it off."_

The scene felt familiar to her, but the circumstances were a bit different from before. They were not in the dark passageway that connected Soul Society to the world of the living; there were no bones at their feet or Shinigami for her to heal. It was just the two of them sitting across from one another in her living room, Orihime leaning her elbows on the table and Ulquiorra sitting in his normal rigid position, looking too formal for her liking.

"The bracelet you were referring to last night?" He nodded once. "That's correct."

After a moment of hesitation she took the bracelet from his grasp. His hand returned to rest on the top his thigh, balled into a tight fist. He looked to her expectantly, as though waiting for her to say something.

"It looks exactly the same as it did the last time I saw it," she said, rubbing her fingers against the fine chain that connected the two ends. "Where did you find it?"

"In the ruins of Las Noches, buried under the rubble that was once the Octava Espada's domain. It lay on one of the laboratory tables, right where Ulquiorra had left it."

The smile on her face wavered a bit before returning to normal. "So, Las Noches still exists, huh?"

"Yes," he said. "However, no Arrancar inhabit the place like it did while you were there. It's completely empty, save for a few hollow lizards that have decided to make it their home."

"I see." She paused for a moment before returning her attention to the bracelet in her hand. "It's just like you said: it hadn't been thrown out. Do you think it still has any of its power?"

He shook his head. "Of that I am not certain."

"There's only one way to find out," Orihime said, slipping the bracelet onto her wrist.

She stood up and walked past Ulquiorra, to the wall behind him. He didn't join her, but he turned a little where he sat, watching her with intense interest. Apparently he, too, was curious if the thing had any power left in it. Taking in a deep breath, she placed her hands on the walls and pushed.

Nothing happened. She tried again, this time with a little more force. Still nothing. She could feel a slight warmth rise to her cheeks, but she resisted the urge to cover them with her hands. Instead, she turned around and walked back to her seat, avoiding his gaze as she passed.

"I guess that's a no," she said, sitting back down. She laughed sheepishly. "Oh well, I suppose it's for the best."

He stared at her blankly. "What do you plan to do with it?"

"I...don't know. Maybe I'll wear it some time," she said, smiling. "You took the time to get it for me, even though you didn't have to. Besides, what's the point of stuffing it away, just for it to be forgotten and never used? It would be the same as if it had stayed in Las Noches for all eternity."

"Hm," he said, his eyes closed.

"Anyway, I think I'm going to put this away for the moment. I don't want to lose it." Orihime stood up and started walking to her bedroom, turning around to tell him, "I'll be right back!"

She started to open the top drawer of her dresser, where she kept all her jewelry in a small lacquered box, but stopped when the drawer was only a little more than halfway open. Forgetting to remove the bracelet, she picked up the white and black tattered cloth that she had once worn during her stay at Las Noches.

She hadn't wanted to keep it. She wanted nothing more than to cut it up into tiny pieces, burn the scraps, and bury the ashes far away from her as possible. It sounded a little extreme, even in Orihime's mind, but how could anyone blame her? There were too many negative memories associated with it: both of Loli's and Menoli's attacks on her; Grimmjow threatening her to heal Ichigo--or else; Nnoitra stuffing those disgustingly long, bony hands inside her mouth to shut her up; and...Ulquiorra disappearing right before her eyes, to name a few.

But when the time came, her sewing scissors poised at the very hem of the weird dress/hakama combination, she couldn't bring herself to do it. All because of one line:

"_Surprisingly, it suits you."_

"Ulquiorra?" she asked, walking towards him slowly. "Did you really mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"You said these clothes suited me the first time you saw me in them," she said, approaching the table. His eyes widened slightly at what was in her hands. Sitting down, she placed the remains of her uniform in front of him. "Did you really mean it?"

He didn't respond for a long time, so long that Orihime figured that he had decided not to answer her question. Finally, he said, "What reason would Ulquiorra have to say something he didn't mean?"

That would be a yes, she translated in her mind. At least, that's what it seemed like to her. The more time she got to spend talking with him face-to-face like this, the more she felt like she was breaking through the strange code that was his way of speaking.

So he had meant it. The thought made her heart beat a little faster than normal.

"You know, a lot happened when I was in these clothes," she said, her voice taking on a far-off tone as she fingered the fabric. "I don't even know all that occurred during that time. I wish I knew, but none of my friends will tell me when I ask. They say that it's better that I don't know."

"Perhaps these friends of yours are correct. No matter what they tell you, there's nothing you can do to make it better. What's done is done," he said bluntly. "But if you still wish to know, the choice is yours alone."

She nodded. "I do. I have to know, so I can truly appreciate all that they've done for me."

"Remember, though, I can only answer questions to which Ulquiorra would have had knowledge of."

She looked up in thought. There was so much she wanted to know.

What happened with Rukia and Sado? How were they saved? Were they badly hurt before then? What about Ishida and Renji? How hard did they have to fight to rescue her?

She shook her head and sighed. He wouldn't know the answer to any of those questions. However...

"What happened in that first battle between you and Kurosaki-kun?" she asked gently, her eyes softening as she spoke the orange-haired boy's name. "I mean, how did it start?"

She could guess what happened in the end, recalling the hole that had been left in him, the one that had been so hard to heal.

The one that the person in front of her had made.

"Ulquiorra had just finished trying to persuade you to eat something. You hadn't been eating very well since you arrived at Las Noches," he started, releasing a small sigh. "However, things did not turn out as well as he had expected."

Orihime blushed for the second time that evening. She remembered quite well how she had slapped him, hard, and the look he had given her afterwards. At the time, she had been too angry with him to even care what he would do to her, but when she thought back to it, she realized she should have been shocked by the lack of response from him. Had it been any other Espada, she was almost certain she would have been punished in some way for that brief instance of insubordination.

And yet he did nothing. He just stared at her with a look that almost resembled shock. Of course, afterwards he told her that she needed to eat or he would force her to, but his threat lacked the same edge it normally held.

"He was walking away from your room, hoping that maybe the hour he had given you would change your mind, when he felt the spiritual pressure of that Shinigami friend of yours. Ulquiorra was quite surprised that he was remembered by name, especially since he had not given it out. But that didn't matter. He didn't want the Shinigami to come any closer to your quarters than he already was.

"That's when Ulquiorra attacked. Not in the conventional way with ceros and zanpakutou, like most of the Espada, but with words. He told the Shinigami that your other friend, Kuchiki Rukia, was dead. That foolish boy tried to deny it, saying that he knew she couldn't be dead, but when he heard of the Novena Espada's ability to convey information about the opponent he was fighting, he turned around and started to head back in the direction he had come."

Orihime swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. She had no idea that Ichigo had turned back, even though he was so close to rescuing her. She forced a smile onto her face.

"Of course he did," she insisted, her voice cracking a little. "I was unharmed, and Kuchiki-san wasn't. What kind of friend would he have been if he didn't go back and help her first, the one who needed help the most?"

He closed his eyes and scoffed. "The Shinigami said something similar. He said that he wouldn't fight because Ulquiorra had not hurt any of his friends."

She closed her eyes. That certainly sounded like Ichigo. Noble to the end.

"That's when Ulquiorra revealed that he had been the one to take you to Hueco Mundo. Only then did the Shinigami attack him, though there was something odd about it."

"Odd?" Orihime asked, her eyes popping open. "In what way?"

"The rage with which he attacked was immense, but not all of it was directed at Ulquiorra. Some of it seemed to be directed at himself. It was only afterwards, when he responded to the retort, that the rage began to make sense."

"What did he say?"

"So, Inoue didn't come to Hueco Mundo of her own will after all."

There was no emotion in his voice as he repeated the words, but there didn't have to be. Even she could hear the doubt hidden behind them. And it hurt her, more than she could ever imagine.

She leaned back, her hand falling off the table and onto her lap. She felt numb all over, unable to focus on anything around her. When Rukia had been taken back to Soul Society, Ichigo had never doubted her loyalties. So why did he doubt her? Even after everything they'd been though, did he didn't know that she would never do anything to betray them? To betray him?

It was like he didn't know her at all. And he considered her his friend?

"I think that's enough for tonight," she said lightly, her eyes focused on her lap. "I feel exhausted all of a sudden."

"I understand," Ulquiorra said, standing up in one fluid motion.

"Wait," she started, causing him to stop before he was halfway to the window. He turned around. "What did you say to him...when he said that to you?"

He looked at her, an odd expression on his face that she couldn't quite place. It was slight, but had it been anyone else, she might have taken it empathy. "Ulquiorra had the same reaction to those words as you, woman. He told the Shinigami that he was surprised that even the friends that had come to save you had their doubts."

"I see."

"Do you regret it?" At her confused look, he elaborated, by adding, "Wanting to know what happened. Do you regret it?"

Orihime shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Even though that knowledge has caused you pain?"

She laughed a little, her eyes starting to well with tears of their own accord. Was it that obvious that his words hurt her? "You're really inquisitive today."

He didn't deny her accusation. Instead, he waited for her answer.

"No, despite everything, I'm still glad I know." Placing her hands together, she bowed deeply. "Thank you, Ulquiorra. I am truly in your debt."

Though her heart felt heavier than normal, the words she spoke were true. She turned away, not bothering to watch him fade away completely. She didn't need to; she knew that he could come back tomorrow night.

At the moment, she needed some time to think.

Once she was in her bedroom, she slipped under the covers, but she could not fall asleep. Her mind kept racing back to those words, analyzing them until there was nothing left.

She had always known that Rukia was someone Ichigo considered important. The way he looked at her, the ease with which they were able to converse, all spoke volumes to their connection, whether it was friendship or something more. However, Orihime had hoped that perhaps she, too, could become someone he considered important.

Those dreams were now a distant memory. If he couldn't even have faith in her as a friend, how could he have faith in her as something more?

Deep down she knew that she would always have a soft spot for him. He was, after all, her first love. That's why when she arrived at school tomorrow, she was almost certain that her heart would flutter, just a little bit, when he passed by to say, "Good morning, Inoue," before taking his seat.

Despite this, she also knew that she would never be able to look at Ichigo the same way again.

She turned over onto her side, a few tears falling onto her pillow. There was no point in worrying about it now. That would be tomorrow's struggle.

Letting out one last yawn, she fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

I apologize that this chapter is later than usual. I hope you enjoy it, though, and please keep those reviews coming! They mean a lot to me.

* * *

The walk to school felt longer than normal. A sense of dread built inside Orihime with each step she took. It probably didn't help that she hadn't been able to get a good night's sleep. She had tossed and turned the whole night, waking up at least twice in the wee hours of the morning.

But why? Was she really that worried about how she would act around Ichigo? She clenched her fists, determined. She wouldn't allow this restless feeling to get the best of her. She would just act like she always did, filling the role of the silent, but caring friend. With that thought in mind, her pace quickened until she found herself in the school courtyard. Once inside the building, she slowed to an almost careless gait.

Silently, she slid the classroom door open and walked inside. Placing her bag on her desk, she took her seat near the window, a couple of seats behind was thankful that jog from her apartment to the school had burnt off most of her nervous energy.

"Good morning," Tatsuki told her, patting her on the back as she passed by. She grimaced. "What's with your uniform, Orihime? It's kind of wet. Did you run all the way here?"

Orihime scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "More like jogged."

"Why?" Tatsuki asked, wiping her hand on her skirt. "It's not like you're late or anything." She looked to the clock at the front of the room. "There's still a good ten minutes before the bell even--"

"O-ri-hi-me-chan!" Chizuru shouted from the door. Within the blink of an eye, she had managed to get behind Orihime, her arms wrapped around the orange-haired teen's shoulders. "Oh my, you're so sweaty today! But that's okay, because it only makes you smell even better than usu--"

A foot in her face stopped Chizuru before she could finish her statement. Her hands slid off Orihime's shoulders, resting at her side for a moment before she gripped Tatsuki's ankle, trying to remove her foot. It didn't budge.

Tatuski looked at her irritably, a vein in her forehead visibly throbbing. "Enough with you, you pervert!"

Orihime stood, her hands held up defensively as she looked between the two girls. "Now, now, it's okay, Tatsuki. Chizuru-chan was only greeting me."

"Fine." Reluctantly, Tatsuki lowered her foot to the floor, leaving a blackened footprint on Chizuru's face. "But if she tries anything like that again..."

"Inoue-san, you're too kind for your own good," Ishida said, from his spot at the front of the room. His sewing kit was out, his hands moving quickly to repair a small rip in the cloth he held.

"Oh, Ishida-kun, good morning!" She frowned slightly. "I didn't see you come in. How long have you been here?"

"_Just now. Don't make such a fuss about every little thing. It's annoying."_

Orihime shook her head. "What?"

She knew what she thought she had heard, but that couldn't have been right. There were only two people, maybe three at most, who would possibly know about that exchange. More importantly, Ishida would never say anything like that to her.

His needlework slowed. "I said that I got here a little after Honshou-san." He took a moment to look her over, his eyebrows furrowed. "Are you all right? You don't look too well."

"Now that you mention it, you don't seem to be as energetic as usual," Chizuru added, her face now wiped clean.

Tatsuki nodded her head in agreement. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"No, really, it's okay," Orihime insisted, though she could tell by the look on their faces that they didn't believe her. "I just had trouble sleep last night, that's all. I'm still the same old me!"

"Good morning," a familiar voice called out, one that made her heart beat just a little faster than normal.

Like she expected it would.

Everyone muttered their greetings to him, some a little more enthusiastically than others--mostly in the case of Keigo. She herself had muttered under her breath, so low that she was certain even Tatsuki, who had been standing a mere half-foot away, hadn't heard it.

Ichigo sat down with his shoulders hunched over, like he had the weight of the world resting on him and him alone. In a way, she supposed he did. But there was something more to it than that. In his aura there was a hint of longing and despair, a feeling that Orihime had become quite familiar with. In that sense, she felt like she could relate to him better than anyone else in the room.

Of course, he had been one of the few people to elicit that emotion from her in the first place.

She walked over to his desk quietly, then stood there for a moment, not sure what to say. His gaze shifted over to her from where it had been, the empty desk where Rukia usually sat.

"Kurosaki-kun, you really...miss Kuchiki-san, don't you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level, like she had heard Ulquiorra do so many times.

Ichigo's face turned a light shade of pink. "Huh? What are you talking about, Ino--"

"You shouldn't worry about it," she continued, forcing a smile onto her face. "It seems like no matter what happens, no matter what she's assigned to, she always manages to come back. So please, don't worry. I don't think she'd be happy to know that you've been making _those_ kind of faces when you were gone."

"Those?" he repeated.

She nodded. "I think Kuchiki-san would call them 'pathetic.'"

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "That sounds about right." He glanced over to the desk one last time before looking up at her and smiling. "Thanks, Inoue. I'll remember that."

* * *

"What is it, woman?"

Orihime jumped at the sound of his voice, her eyes no longer glazed over in deep thought. "What do you mean, Ulquiorra? I haven't said anything yet."

"Precisely," he said firmly, his eyes narrowed. "You've never been this quiet since you started calling to me. The only time you've been quieter was when Ulquiorra had brought you to Las Noches. Moreover, you look troubled."

Her eyes widened. Everyone seemed to be worried about her today, even him. "Is it that obvious?"

"The look on your face speaks volumes more than anything you could ever say. You regret knowing that your Shinigami friend's trust in you wavered for that brief moment, don't you?"

"No, I don't. Really. I know he didn't mean to doubt me. It was unconscious, I'm sure of it. It would be wrong of me to hold that against him," she said, not sure if she was trying to convince him or herself. She closed her eyes and sighed. "It doesn't hurt any less, though."

"Ulquiorra understood what you are going through."

Orihime looked at him, her eyes wide. "You...can?"

"Why is this so surprising?" he asked, a hint of humor in his voice. "Did you believe Ulquiorra didn't understand the pain of betrayal?"

"Well, not really, no," she stammered, her gaze now in her lap. "You always seem so..." She struggled to find the right word; eventually, she gave up. "I don't know, so 'blah' to everything, there were times I didn't think you could feel anything at all."

His eyebrow twitched at her words, her only indication that they had left some impression on him. "Quite the contrary. The only difference between him and the other Arrancar in Las Noches was that he was better at hiding it. He wasn't perfect, though."

"Who were you betrayed by, then?" Orihime asked, tapping her lower lip in thought. "One of the Arrancar?"

Ulquiorra scoffed. "Hardly. Betrayal implies a sense of trust, and most Arrancar knew better than to trust each other."

"Then...it can only be...Aizen," she said softly. The name still managed to evoke fear in her. "How?"

"Being a hollow is a painful experience," he said, after a beat. "There is no meaning in that world, Hueco Mundo, neither is there any meaning in the Hollows, the ones who live in it. All that can be done is eat, fight, and maybe rest when it is needed, all in the hopes to extinguish the pain.

"There are ten reasons people die: loneliness, sacrifice, old age, Nihilism, despair, destruction, intoxication, madness, greed, and rage. But no matter what the manner of death, the emotion that the pain stems from is the same for all Hollows--"

"Regret," she finished for him. "Right?"

He nodded once. "That's Aizen-sama came with his Hougyoku. He promised that becoming an Arrancar would alleviate the pain. As you can imagine, many Hollow wanted to be transformed, but only those that were strong enough, those that would be suited for Aizen-sama's plans, were changed."

"But he lied," he said bitterly, his eyes narrowing at the thought. "The pain didn't cease. If anything, it intensified."

"I had no idea. I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry. What's done is done."

"Still," she said sadly. "I never realized the Arrancar were as much victims, if not more so, as Soul Society because of his schemes. He never cared about you; he just wanted to use you for his own devices until he got what he wanted."

"It's not as though the Arrancar, particularly the Espada, weren't aware of their importance to Aizen-sama--or lack there of. They had seen what had happened to the Espada before them, demoted and placed far below in the underground of Las Noches to be forgotten."

"Who did you replace?" she asked. "Did you know them?"

"No," he said, with a slight shake of his head. "From what Ulquiorra knew of the Sexta Espada he wasn't weak, but the whole of the Espada were becoming more powerful at a faster rate than he was evolving. As a result, he was replaced."

Orihime leaned in, her mouth slightly agape. "Sexta...Espada? But I thought that was Grimmjow's rank. Besides, when I talked to that old Espada--Barrangan, I think?--he told me that you were the fourth."

"That is the rank Ulquiorra eventually reached. However, when he was first made an Espada, he was only sixth."

"I see," she said, her voice trailing off. "How long did it take you to move up to Cuarta?"

"Time passes differently in Hueco Mundo, as I'm sure you are well aware. It's almost nonexistent. As a result, I do not know how much time had passed. All I know is that Grimmjow had been created just as Ulquiorra was ready to become the Cuarta Espada."

"You went straight from sixth to fourth?"

"Yes. From Ulquiorra Cifer, Sexta Espada to Ulquiorra Cifer, Cuarta Espada. Such a jump in ranks like that had not been seen before nor since."

Orihime leaned back a bit, his name rolling around in her mind. Ulquiorra Cifer. When she had first been brought to Las Noches, she had often asked him what his name was. His response was always the same:

"_It's not important that you know."_

After a while she managed to get a first name out of him, but no matter what she did, she could never get him to tell her his last name. She considered asking the other Espada, but she figured it would be unwise; they would probably have brushed her off as an annoyance anyways, leaving her with no answers. Eventually she had given up altogether, mostly because of the news that her friends had arrived in Hueco Mundo to rescue her.

"It's rather appropriate."

She blinked a couple of times, her gaze now focused back on him. "Huh?"

"Ulquiorra's last name," he replied. "It's appropriate for him."

"Why do you say that?"

"A cipher--a person or thing of no importance, a person who does the bidding of others and seems to have no will of their own."

Orihime frowned. "A cipher, huh? I wonder...if that's what I am as well..." He looked at her curiously, but before he could respond she said, "Never mind. I'm just thinking aloud."

"You do that a lot, it seems."

"It helps sometimes to organize my thoughts." She laughed sadly. "Like I have any thoughts in my head." Ulquiorra's frown deepened at her words, but she continued, " Mostly I think it's just so I don't feel like it's only me here in this apartment, all...alone."

"But you're not alone," he pointed out, an odd sadness in his eyes that she couldn't place.

"That's true," she said, smiling softly. "I'm not alone now. You're here."

He shook his head. "Woman, that's--"

"It's already midnight?" she exclaimed, her gaze no longer focused on the shadow in front of her, but the clock on the back wall. "I didn't think that much time had passed. And I even called you earlier today than yesterday."

"You spent the first few hours staring off into space."

"Was it that long?" she asked sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Ulquiorra. That won't happen again, I promise."

He stood up, then started walking to the window. "It's of no consequence to me what you choose to do with this time, as long as you are not exhausting yourself with these sessions."

"It won't," she said, standing up and walking with him to the window. "I--"

"Don't promise." He turned around to face her, already starting to fade from sight. "Just don't let it happen."

Orihime nodded. "Ulquiorra?"

"Hm."

"Thanks for listening to me. Not just tonight, but all the other nights. I..." She paused, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. "I look forward to our time together, even though most of it is filled with awkward silence."

"The feeling is mutual," he said, in such a serious tone of voice that she couldn't help but laugh. Just before he faded completely he managed to ask, "What is so amusing, woman?"

She shook her head, still laughing a bit. "It's nothing, Ulquiorra. I'll see you tomorrow night."


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks once again for the reviews, everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I will be gone for two weeks, so there won't be any updates during that time.

Now that we got that out of the way, please enjoy the next installment of _Moonlight Shadow_! Don't forget to review!

* * *

For a while, Orihime fell into a familiar pattern: wake up, go to school, and always come home before dark. As irrational as it seemed, she didn't want Ulquiorra to show up in her apartment, only to find out she wasn't there. It left her wondering--if her will was what called him to her, did that mean he would appear to her anywhere?

"_Can anyone else see you?" she asked, one week after he started visiting her._

_He shook his head. "I do not know. I would assume not, since it was your will that created me in the first place."_

"_So, hypothetically speaking, if I called to you when I was around other people and started talking to you, it would look like I was...talking to myself?"_

"_That's one theory. Perhaps it would be best if we did not test it out."_

They talked about other things, too, though she was always the one asking the questions. He didn't seem to mind. No matter what the question, no matter how ridiculous it seemed, he always answered her in his usual roundabout manner.

She was surprised by the things he had told her. Like how he felt about his fellow Espada, for example. Granted, she had seen him socializing--if you wanted to call it that--with the others just once, but she had always felt there was a certain animosity between them.

According to him, however, for the most part this was untrue. There was only one Espada that he particularly detested--Nnoitra Jiruga. She couldn't say she blamed him for his ill feelings. She hadn't had the most...pleasant experience with him either.

"_What made you dislike him?" _

"_It wasn't a simple 'dislike,' as you put it, that Ulquiorra had for the Quinta Espada," he said, a hard edge to his voice. "It was pure disdain, utter loathing. He was the lowest of the low."_

"_But why the dis--hate?" she asked again._

_He looked away, like he was embarrassed to tell her. Was it really that bad? "He was not the...classiest of Espada, as I'm sure you know." _

_Orihime nodded reluctantly. She wished she hadn't known._

"_He'd implied Ulquiorra had done some things to you that were...less than inappropriate. Let's leave it at that."_

"_I...see," she said slowly, a faint blush forming on her cheeks. "I couldn't agree more."_

Most surprising were his feelings towards Grimmjow. She had always thought they hated each other, since they were seemed to be the other's antithesis. Ulquiorra seemed to be undyingly loyal to Aizen; the Sexta Espada, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less if the God-inspiring Shinigami lived or died, so long as he got what he wanted in the end.

But his feelings for Grimmjow were the same as his feelings for almost all the other Espada--one of mutual, if somewhat begrudging, respect. The only one he truly got along with, it turned out, was Yami.

"_The one you...ordered to kill me?" she asked, remembering their first encounter with each other. _

_He cleared his throat, his gaze resting on the table. "That's correct. He was a bumbling idiot most of the time. He couldn't tell the difference between a good meal and trash, and that dog of his was so annoying, it was a surprise it hadn't been killed by one of the other--"_

"_Dog?" Orihime looked at him curiously. "I don't remember any dogs in Las Noches."_

"_That's because by the time you had arrived, Aizen-sama had ordered it to remain in Yami's domain, or else any Arrancar who caught it could do whatever they wished. Annoying creature, though it had its good points." She swore she could see the hint of a smirk on his face. "It didn't particularly care for the Quinta Esapda, gnawing on his ankles at any and every chance it got. That always amused Yami; he wasn't fond of Nnoitra either."_

_She laughed softly. "I see. The way it sounds, Yami was almost like a friend to you."_

"_That statement is ridiculous," he said, but without any animosity behind it. "There is no such thing as 'friendship' among Arrancar." _

_She looked a little crestfallen at his words. "Oh."_

"_However," he continued, his tone a little gentler this time, "I suppose if you had to label it something, it would be the closest thing to 'friendship' the Arrancar could attain."_

And so they continued like this for a few weeks, until eventually even she had run out of questions to ask. It didn't bother her, though, that all they would do is sit in silence until she had to go to bed. Somehow it was enough for her to just be in his presence.

* * *

It was the end of yet another day, and the sun was starting to set below the horizon. Orihime started gathering her things, quickly stuffing them into her bags. Out the corner of her eye, she noticed Tatsuki and some of her other friends come up to her desk.

Tatsuki smiled at her, though she could see the worry hidden beneath. "You're sure in a hurry, Orihime. Have you got any plans for tonight?"

"No," she said, with a shake of her head. She stood up from her desk. "Why?"

"Oh, that's great!" Tatsuki continued. "Because we were wondering, since it's a Friday night and all, if you wanted to join us for a some karaoke. And then, afterwards, we might even get some--"

"Thanks for the invitation, everyone," she said apologetically, giving her friends brief once over. "But I'm just not feeling up to it tonight. Maybe some other time."

"That's what you always say," Chizuru added, pouting.

"I have to agree with Honshou-san," Ishida said. "It feels as though you've become more distanced from us these past few weeks. Are you sure there's nothing you want to tell us?"

"Really, it's nothing," she insisted. Hadn't they had this conversation before? "I just want to stay home tonight. So please..."

She made her way through them, heading for the door. In the back of her head, she could feel the guilt starting to form, little by little, for brushing them off like she had. After all, they were just worried about her.

But she couldn't tell them why she couldn't go with them. She could only imagine their reactions if she said there was a formerly dead Espada visiting her night after night after night. They would think she had gone mad!

"Inoue-san?" Sado asked, in his usual calm, low voice.

She turned around. "Yes?"

"We'll see you on Monday. Have a good weekend."

Orihime smiled. Trust Sado to be the least judgmental of the group. "Thanks, I will. You too."

The trip back to apartment was uneventful. She walked in and kicked her shoes off at the foyer, then walked into the living room. Flipping on the lights, she looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. She still had an hour or so before Ulquiorra would be able to come to her.

She sat down at the table and, reaching into her bag, started working on some of her homework, her mind only half-concentrated on the paper in front of her. The scratching of the pencil was almost hypnotic in its own way. She had gotten through a few worksheets and was about to rest her head on the table, just for a moment, when a voice called out to her.

"You called for me again, woman?"

She looked up from her work, a smile on her face. "Is it night already?"

"Obviously," Ulquiorra said, his gaze focused on the window, moonlight pouring into the room.

"I see," she said, placing the papers and pencil back into her bag. She leaned forward, a smile on her face. "I'm glad."

They sat in silence, but unlike before, there was no awkwardness in it. Instead, Orihime found it strangely calm and peaceful. Ulquiorra sat watching her, his expression perfectly neutral as he blinked every so often. It made her smile, though she had no idea why.

She could have lived in this moment forever.

"When was the last time you were with those friends of yours?"

Her eyes widened, not so much at the question, but the fact that he actually talked without her prompting him to do so. "Huh?"

"Those friends of yours, the ones who came to rescue you from Las Noches; when was the last time you were with them?" he asked again.

"At school," she said, a little confused by his question. "Why?"

"You've called to me every day for the past month--"

"Actually, it's not a month yet," she corrected him. "Not for another few days."

"My point is," he said, his eyes narrowed, "I think you've been calling for me too frequently."

Orihime frowned. "Do you...not want to be called? If you don't want to be with me, then all you had to do was say--"

"It's not that," he said, sighing. "But I feel as though you forget what I really am."

"What do you mean?" she asked, laughing. "You're Ulquiorra."

He brought his fingers up to his temples, frustration emanating from his entire being. "Do you not remember what I told you when I first appeared to you, when you asked me what I was?"

"_A shadow."_

"_A...shadow? What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_I am a remnant of the one you call 'Ulquiorra.' I am the culmination of his memories, his thoughts, his feelings, his hopes, and his dreams, nothing more. I am not real. I have never existed as a living thing. I cannot think of the future, for it does not exist for me."_

She sat straight up, sudden awareness flooding her body as the memory came to the forefront of her mind. How had she allowed herself to forget? The person in front of her, no matter how much he reminded her of Ulquiorra wasn't_ technically_ Ulquiorra.

But he seemed so much like him at times. How could anyone blame her for forgetting? The way he spoke, his memories--even the way he would tilt his head, confused by her questions--were all the same!

"Now you remember, don't you?"

She shook her head in disbelief. "No, it can't be! You told me to call you 'Ulquiorra.'"

He sighed softly. "Perhaps that was my mistake in telling you so. I didn't want to confuse you with the nature of my existence, but it seemed to make it easier for you to forget that I'm only a shadow."

"I don't care if you are or not," she said insistently, standing up from her spot. She walked over to him, her limbs shaking, and sat down, her hand reached out for him. "It doesn't matter that we can only be together at night. As long as I can be with you, it's fine."

He grabbed her wrist before her fingers were able to touch his cheek. "This is what I feared." He looked at her, serious. "You've allowed yourself to become too attached. Woman, I was only meant to give you a sense of closure. That's all." He shook his head. "And in that endeavor, I feel as though I have failed you."

He released her arm, and Orihime let it fall to her side, his words sinking in.

"You're...really not him, are you? You never were," she said slowly. She sat back, her eyes watering. "Deep down, I guess I always knew you weren't, but I didn't want to believe it. I thought that I had a second chance, so that...maybe..."

She couldn't even finish. She placed a hand on her chest, hoping to ease the aching she felt. It was like she was losing Ulquiorra all over again.

"Ulqui--Shadow?"

He turned to her, his frown deeper than usual. "Yes?"

"Why is it that we don't appreciate what we have until it's gone?" she asked, her voice cracking.

He waited a moment before saying, "Maybe fate has a cruel sense of humor."

"Maybe," she said, smiling weakly. "Shadow? Do you know what happened to Ulquiorra when he..." She stopped and swallowed, forcing the lump in her throat back down. "Where did he go?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know the answer to that."

"I see. It's okay. I didn't think you would." She sighed. "I just wanted to know...that he was okay, and that maybe, just maybe, I'll get to see him...again..."

"That's all you ever wanted, wasn't it?" he asked. "For a sense of closure."

"I think you're right," she said sadly. "And I didn't even realize until just now."

* * *

Orihime walked down the streets of Karakura with only one goal in mind. She remembered her conversation with Ulquiorra's shadow from last night, and her steps quickened. She had no doubt this was what she wanted to do, but she couldn't help feel a bit anxious.

The problem was, she wasn't too certain _he_ would be able to help.

When she reached the shop she stopped, looking at the sign above the screened doors. She took a deep breath, then cautiously slid the door open, taking a few steps inside. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

There was nothing but silence. She looked at her watch, wondering if she had come too early, but no, the shop should have been open. She was about to call out again when she heard some shuffling in the back and the padding of footsteps coming her way.

"Inoue-san?" Urahara asked, wearing his usual clogs and hat. He yawned loudly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "You're here early. Is there something I can help you with today?"

She nodded solemnly. "I have a favor I would like to ask you."


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you for your patience while I was gone these last few weeks and for all the reviews during that time. Nearly 30! Please keep them coming.

* * *

Orihime sat across from Urahara, her legs beneath her, watching as he placed the boiling pot of tea on the tabletop. He poured her a cup first, gently pushing it over to her, before pouring himself some tea.

"Now that we've gotten all the formalities out of the way," he started, taking a small sip, "what was this request you had for me?"

She looked at her cup--but didn't touch it--then at him, her eyebrows furrowed. She was still worried he wouldn't be able to do anything to help her.

"I need to go to Soul Society," she said, without ceremony. Urahara nearly spilled his tea on his lap. "I know you can created a door from here; you did it when we went to rescue Kuchiki-san. I realize I'm asking too much of you, but I need to do this."

"Inoue-san--"

She bowed deeply, her head touching the floor. "Please!" She swallowed, hoping to push down the lump that had formed in her throat, and looked up. "You're the only one who can help me."

He stared at her for a long time, so long that she feared that he was going to say no. Finally he let out a heavy sigh, placing his cooling tea on the table. "Please get up, Inoue-san."

Orihime nodded dejectedly, placing her hands in her lap. She knew that he would deny her request--if it was even possible at all. "I see. I'm sorry to have wasted your time."

"If I do this," he said, his gaze holding her in her spot, "may I at least know why you want to go?"

Her eyes widened. "Huh? You mean, you'll do it?"

"Let me know your reasons first. Then, perhaps, yes."

She turned her head quickly, hoping to hide the faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I just...it's hard to explain. I have to know that someone there is all right."

"I take it this 'someone' isn't Kuchiki-san. Am I right?"

She shook her head.

"Hmmm." Urahara placed his chin in his hand, considering her answer. "I see."

They sat in silence for a long time, though it wasn't the same as when she was with Ulquiorra's shadow. She was on edge as she waited for his response. Would he decide not to help? Surely he could not know exactly who it was she wanted to see.

Then again, this _was_ Urahara. He seemed to have a six sense about these things. She wouldn't be surprised if he _did_ figure out that she wanted to visit one of the former enemies of Soul Society.

"I've already made one mistake with respect to you, Inoue-san," he started, his eyes distant. She looked at him curiously. "I fear that my insistence that you stay out of battle for the Winter War only helped, in some way, to make it easier for you to be taken by Aizen and his Arrancar. If I had helped you train here, you wouldn't have needed to go to Soul Society."

_And you wouldn't have been captured between worlds_, were his unspoken words. Orihime could hear them nonetheless.

But wouldn't she had been captured at some point? Surely if Aizen had wanted her in Las Noches, he would find a way. She didn't speak her thoughts to Urahara, though. She could see from the look on his face that his feelings on the issue would not be swayed.

"I will not let myself make another mistake like that again," he said, a tone of finality to his voice.

"So," she said hesitantly, "does that mean...?"

He nodded. "When were you planning on leaving for Soul Society, Inoue-san?"

* * *

She had the strangest feeling of déjà vu as she sat writing a note to her friends, letting them know where she was, that she would be okay, and most importantly, why this crazy task had to be done. It wasn't until she was nearly finished that it hit her.

She had done a similar thing before she had gone to Hueco Mundo.

She had told her landlady and the school that she needed to leave the country for a week. Oddly enough, they didn't ask for a reason. Not that that bothered her--she hadn't thought of an excuse anyway.

Orihime stared at the paper. Would her friends hate her for what she was about to do? Especially Ichigo. How would he feel if he knew that she was visiting the one who had caused him so much pain?

Somehow, at that moment, his thoughts didn't matter to her. For once in her life she would focus on her needs, her wants. She knew she would be happier, better, once this was done.

"So, it seems you really are going over there to find him, aren't you?"

She looked up at the window, nearly jumping out of her seat in the process. She was surprised to see Ulquiorra's shadow standing there, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "You're here."

"Yes, I'm here." He walked over to the table and sat across from her, his posture as rigid as ever. "You seem surprised by that fact."

"I didn't think you'd come."

"I've heard those words before," he said, with the slightest hint of a lilt in his voice. "You didn't answer my question."

Orihime nodded. "I'm leaving tomorrow." She hesitated. "I guess that means I won't see you for a while, huh?"

"It would seem so."

For a long time they said nothing. Not because they did not know what to say, but because they didn't know how to say it.

There was no moonlight that night--it was a new moon. Somehow, to Orihime, it felt oddly appropriate.

"Shadow?"

"Yes?"

She bit her lower lip, her gaze in her lap. "What's going to happen to you while I'm gone? I mean, since you said it was my will that created you."

"Do not concern yourself with that. All you need to worry about is finding Ulquiorra once you have arrived in Soul Society. Besides," he added cryptically, "that is not what I would worry about."

Orihime blinked. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head. "My purpose is to give you closure on Ulquiorra's death. Once that happens I have no purpose, no reason to exist."

"So you mean," she said, her eyes wide, "that once I find Ulquiorra you'll...disappear?"

"It's not a certainty, but it is a high probability."

She looked at him sadly. "I see," she said, because she wasn't sure what else to say. "I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't go. It's not fair if you--"

"Don't even finish that statement," he said roughly, more so than she had ever heard from him. "This is not about me; this was never about me. Don't use me as your excuse to back out for reaching what it is you desire most."

"It's not that," she insisted. "I want to see Ulquiorra again, know that he's okay. I do. But...that doesn't mean I want to do it at your expense. I know you're not him, but that doesn't mean that I don't care what happens to you, too."

The shadow scoffed, but his face had softened from before. "Foolishness. You care too much about things you shouldn't."

"I know." She smiled softly. "I think that's why I'm in this situation."

"Hm."

"Say, shadow?" she asked.

"Hm?"

She wasn't sure why she wanted to ask this of him, especially now of all times. When they had first started talking, the thought would never have crossed her mind. Perhaps it was because she was going to see Ulquiorra--the real Ulquiorra--again that she felt like needed justification for her actions.

"What did...Ulquiorra think of me? I mean, did he think I was annoying or...did he resent the fact that he had to take care of me...or...?" She could feel her cheeks warm under his piercing gaze.

_Did he ever feel anything for me? _she wanted to ask, but she couldn't let the words escape from her lips.

"He--" The shadow paused, as though he, too, were struggling with his words. She waited a long time before he finally said, "You were...the one who proved that his eye couldn't see everything."

"_You humans are always talking about hearts. It's as if you have them in your hand. But my eye sees everything. Nothing can escape it. What it doesn't see doesn't exist. What is a heart?_"

"To him, you were the heart."

Orihime let his words sink in, the meaning behind them clear. She felt a weight lifted from her shoulders, a weight she hadn't known was there until it had been taken away.

"I see," she said, smiling softly. "Thank you."

"And what about you?" he asked, catching her off-guard. "What did you think of him?"

"He was...the one entrusted with a heart." Her heart. She just hadn't realized it until it was too late.

* * *

"Thank you again, Urahara-san," Orhime said, as she made her way down the stairs, into the strange basement beneath Urahara's shop. "I'm forever in your debt."

"Now, now, that's enough with the thanking," he said, waving his fan dismissively. "There are more important things at hand."

They walked a little further into the room before a large door came together piece-by-piece right before her eyes. Orihime stopped when it slammed into the ground, but Urahara kept walking until he was directly in front of it.

"You remember what this is, right, Inoue-san?"

She laughed nervously, taking a few steps towards him. "Sort of. Vaguely."

"Then let me go over this again," he said, snapping his fan closed. "As you know, to get into Soul Society, you have to be a soul. This doorway will change your body from 'kishi' to 'reishi,' the main component of souls, allowing you to keep your original form."

"I remember," she said. "But that wasn't the most important thing, I think."

"That's correct. The time you have to get through to Soul Society is only four minutes long. If you don't get out by that time, you will be trapped between the two worlds. Forever." He stopped for a moment. "Do you still want to go through with this?"

"I have to."

He smiled. "I see. If you're ready to go now--"

"Wait!" She held a sheet of paper out to him with both hands. "If you see Kurosaki-kun or Ishida-kun or anyone else, please give this to them."

He took the paper from her hands. "I understand."

"Okay, I'm ready now," she said, walking until she was mere inches away from the doorway. She took a deep breath and looked to Urahara.

He nodded. "Here we go."

* * *

Maybe she had just forgotten or perhaps she had blocked the memory from her mind, but Orihime could honestly say there was nothing worse than having to run at full speed to get away from the huge current meant as protection against Hollow attacks.

Especially when one is wearing a kimono.

She had figured it would be best to try to blend into the crowd, meaning most of her "normal" clothes were out of the picture. That left her with a yukata and a kimono. She went with the kimono instead, figuring that the weather would be the same as it was in the world of the living.

Silently, she hoped she was right.

She was nearly to the end of the tunnel, thankful the current was a good ways behind her--though she supposed that was a relative term. It was only a foot away.

"Santen Kesshun, I reject!" she called out as she jumped from the door in the sky. She placed the shield beneath her, hoping to break some of the impact when she finally reached the ground.

Now that she thought about it, why was the exit into Soul Society in the sky of all places? It didn't seem very convenient, though perhaps it wasn't meant to be. She would have to ask Urahara later.

One fairly smooth landing later, having returned her fairies to points on her hairpins, she took in her surroundings. She had not landed in the same place as before. Instead, she was in a small clearing not far from it.

Things had changed since the last time she had been there. There were no leaves on the few trees that dotted the landscape, and the weather was much colder, though there was no snow on the ground. Orihime pulled the kimono closer to her body, now thankful that she had opted for it instead of the yukata.

The biggest difference, though, was there were actually people out and about in the street a little ways from where she had landed. She, for one, was surprised that none of them had taken notice of her, but she supposed they were too busy going about their own lives to notice a strange girl who had fallen from the sky.

Besides, her landing had been much quieter this time around.

"I wonder where he could be," she said to herself, walking into the street of people.

No one gave her a second glance; again, she was thankful for her foresight to wear something less conspicuous.

She sighed. "Well, I guess there's nothing I can do but ask around."

But no one she asked as she made her way around the town knew who Ulquiorra was. She tried not to get downhearted--Rukongai was a huge place, and for all she knew he could be in one of the more outer districts--but the more times she heard "No," the more her heart sank.

"According to the old woman I just spoke to, I'm near the border between districts," she said, sitting down in the lush grass, her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked up at the darkening sky. "I think I'll ask one more person, then call it a day. I wonder if they have hotels here, or if I'm going to have to camp out."

The thought didn't sound particularly appealing to her, so she hoped for the former.

She stood, brushing off the dirt and bits of grass that clung to her clothing, and turned around, scanning the area. A few feet away there was a woman hunched over a small patch of green, the woven basket beside her nearly filled. Orihime couldn't see the woman's face, only the back of her head, but her hair was the most beautiful shade of pink she had ever seen in her life.

As she started walking towards her, Orihime began to doubt that the woman would know where Ulquiorra was, but at the very least she could tell her where she could find shelter for the night.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Orihime said, when she was directly behind her. "I don't mean to bother you, but do you know--"

"Ma'am?" the woman shot back, in a voice, Orihime realized, much too low to be a woman's.

Did that mean...she...was a...he?

"I-I-I'm so sorry, sir," she said quickly, as the man got up and started turning to face her. "I didn't realize--"

"Why is it all you idiots think I'm a--" The words died in his throat. A beat passed before he pointed a shaky finger at her. "You!"

Orihime's face paled, like she had seen a ghost. And in a way, she had.

"Sz-Szayel Aporro Granz?"


	7. Chapter 7

Well, we're a little halfway through the story, and I can't thank you all enough for the reviews! I was quite tickled that most people had the same reaction as Orihime at the appearance of Szayel.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Here's the next chapter of Moonlight Shadow! And please remember to review! I especially want to hear some people's theories on what they think will happen in the end. Who knows? One of you might be right.

* * *

Orihime couldn't stop staring at him, no matter how hard she tried. He looked odd without the glasses that, in her mind, distinguished him from the others, though she supposed his pink locks were more than enough to define him. Like the other residents of Rukongai he wore a dark kimono, simple but practical for the colder weather.

Finally, her senses came back to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking that of you," Szayel shot back, his eyes not as wide as before. A smirk crossed his face. "Did those Shinigami friends of yours mistake you for a traitor and off you before you had the chance to explain? Or was it Aizen himself who did the deed, thinking that if he couldn't have your powers, no one else could?"

"I'm not dead--" She stopped, taking in what he had said. Looking up at him, she asked, "Wait, no 'Aizen-sama'?"

"Why would there be?" he said, shrugging carelessly. "True, he had what would help me obtain my goals, but if someone had come along with a better offer, then I would have gladly changed loyalties."

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't understand his mindset. "That easily?"

"Trust only yourself," he said, his eyes hollow. "If you don't, you will not survive Hueco Mundo. It's a lesson you learn quickly."

"_Aizen-sama didn't trust anyone other than Aizen-sama. He was very much like an Arrancar in that respect."_

"He was right," she said softly, recalling the words Ulquiorra's shadow had told her.

Szayel raised an eyebrow. "Who was right?"

She shook her head. What was she doing chitchatting with one of her former enemies, like they were old friends? She had come for a reason. "I'm looking for Ulquiorra."

"Ulquiorra? The former Cuarta Espada?"

Unconsciously, she winced. "Yes."

He tapped a finger against his lips, as though contemplating what she had just told him. When he spoke, there was an amused tone to his voice that unnerved her. "I see. Tell me, did he at least take his opponent with him?"

"No," she said awkwardly.

"Shame." Surprisingly, everything about him--his tone, his face, his body posture--seemed to suggest that he meant it. "He was one of the few in Las Noches I could honestly say I respected. Only a little, of course."

This time it was Orihime's turn to be surprised. While she hadn't heard Ulquiorra say bad things about Szayel, she hadn't heard any praise for him either. Then again, Ulquiorra had never been keen on "praise," particularly when it came to his fellow Espada.

"Why did you respect him?"

"He understood that while having greater strength is an advantage over one's enemy, it is not the only one. Unlike the rest of us, who chose greater strength, he opted for high speed regeneration," he said, then smiled. "I'm sure in his mind, though, that my opinion of him didn't matter. I know he didn't have any respect for me. I get the feeling he didn't rather like who I was acquainted with."

There was only one person she could think of that Ulquiorra would have so much disdain for. Looking at Szayel, it seemed odd that he and Nnoitra would have been acquainted with one another, however closely it might have been. From what she remembered of the tall Arrancar, he didn't really seem like the...intellectual type.

"Oh," she said. An awkward silence fell between them as the sun started to set below the horizon. "Anyway, have you seen Ulquiorra?"

"No, I'm afraid not," he said, frowning. "Though not for lack of trying."

Her shoulders slumped forward, and she sighed. "I see. So, you're searching for him, too. Why?"

"I want to know where all the other former Espada are, not just him."

"But why?" Something about it sounded suspicious in her mind.

His grin widened. "It's in the nature of a scientist to be meticulous. I want to make sure everything is properly catalogued--just in case. You never know when such information might be important."

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same it seemed.

"Do you think the others might know where he is?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not," he said, leaning down to pick up the basket of herbs he'd been collecting. "I'm afraid the only one I can speak for is myself and Stark."

"You already found Stark?" she asked, watching the stars twinkle in the darkened sky.

She was going to have to find somewhere to stay the night and soon, or else she would be out in the wilderness. In the dark. Cold and alone. Perhaps Szayel would know of a place. She was worried at the thought of following his suggestions, but certainly he wouldn't still feel the need to cause her harm.

Right?

"Yes, but as I mentioned, he told me he doesn't know where the others are," Szayel said, as he walked away. Orihime followed him. "That is, all except for Zommari."

"Does he know where Ulquiorra is?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea. I haven't gotten the chance to meet with him." He laughed. "I think it's time I pay the former Septima a visit."

"Can I go with you?" she asked.

"Questions, questions, questions," he said, shaking his head. He looked at her solemnly. "I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or amused. Honestly, I don't know how Ulquiorra could tolerate you." He moved towards a small hut at the very edge of the two districts. "If I say no, you'll likely pester me until I give in, won't you?"

"If you say yes, I won't have to," she pointed out.

"Fine, come with me if you must." He stopped quickly, and with little time to react, she bumped into his back. Looking back at her, she could see an irritated look on his face. "Why are you still following me?"

Orihime blushed. "Um, well, it is getting pretty late, and I was wondering if, perhaps, you knew some place I could stay the night?"

"Plenty! That is, if you have the money," Szayel said offhandedly.

"But I don't have any!" she protested.

With a sight shrug, he started walking again. "Not my problem."

She bit her lower lip. She hadn't considered how she would be able to pay for anything once she had gotten to Rukongai. Last time people had offered their homes for the night. It seemed this time she didn't have that luxury.

The gears in her head started turning, though the idea that formed didn't sit particularly well with her. Still, it was the only thing she could think of on such short notice.

"Couldn't I stay at your place?" she said, trying to keep the pleading tone out of her voice. She wanted to keep some dignity.

"_My_ place?" He turned to her, one hand on his hip, the other holding the basket. "And tell me, why would I do something like that?"

She smiled nervously, knowing that he wouldn't be able to resist. "I have a proposition for you."

* * *

"Amazing," he said in awe. "Simply amazing. I've never laid eyes on anything like this before."

"Are you done yet?" she said, her eyebrows furrowed.

Szayel looked almost offended by the suggestion. "A deal is a deal, unless you would rather spend the night outdoors."

Orihime sighed. "What would you like to see next?"

"Aizen said that you also had an offensive power, though it paled in comparison with your abilities to reject events."

"That's right," she said, putting away the shield that had hours ago been used to soften her fall as she arrived in Soul Society. She placed her hands on the side of her head, on her clips. "Tsu--"

But before she was able to call out to him, Szayel placed his hand on her mouth. "I didn't say I needed to see it now. Having seen one of your powers is enough to placate me--for the moment. Besides," he said, glancing around the single room that made up the hut, "what makes you think using that power indoors is a good idea?"

Orihime pulled his hands from her mouth, scowling. "I thought you wanted to see my powers, or else you would throw me out." Then, under her breath, she added, "And it's not like I can't control my powers."

"I was making sure you understood the position you're in."

"How could I forget?" she asked, with a roll of her eyes. Shifting her weight, she winced at the small pins and needles that shot up her leg. The wooden floor of the place wasn't particularly comfortable, but at least it was tidy; she hadn't expected any less of him. "How far do we have to go tomorrow?"

"Not far," he said. "Only two districts over."

"Thank you." Taking note of his startled look, she said, "For letting me go with you. I appreciate it."

"Don't thank me just yet," he said ominously, taking the basket that had been placed by the door. "You can't be certain that Zommari will know where Ulquiorra is."

She watched him place the herbs into small jars, in a section of the room that had been designated as the kitchen. "I know that. By the way, Szayel Apporo-san--"

He placed the lids back on the jars. "Szayel."

"Szayel," she repeated, not used to the lack of formalities, "what are those herbs for?"

He cleared his throat, visibly embarrassed. It was an odd expression to see on his face. He didn't seem like the type to get flustered easily, if at all. "They're for the local doctor. I work for him."

Orihime couldn't help but smile at the irony. "Really?"

"The job pays. It's as simple as that," he said, returning to the seat in front of her. "I don't have any intentions of staying here forever; I have higher aspirations."

"You mean," she started hesitantly, "you want to become...a...?"

"Shinigami?" he finished for her. "Yes, that's correct."

"But the Shinigami were the ones who--"

"Haven't I already told you? My allegiance is to myself. If I have to use someone else to attain those goals, then so be it." An evil glint entered his eyes. "Besides, there's someone I simply _must_ see again."

"The one who...killed you, right?"

"I will never forget his name, even though he had never given it to me: Kurotsuchi Mayuri." Noticing her shudder, he said, with a slight smirk, "I see you're also acquainted with him."

"We've met before," she said vaguely. Now that she thought about it, he had also been interested in her powers, going so far as to offer her a position as a specimen. "Do you want revenge?"

"No, of course not! Quite the opposite. I want him to understand that I have put aside the follies of obtaining 'perfection.' I will show him that I am a true man of science." He paused, chuckling lightly. "Although, if it just so happens that I make it into his squad and some _unfortunate_ accident occurs that seriously injures or--even worse--kills him..." He clasped his hands together. "Well, what can I say? It's not as though I would have planned it."

So he did want revenge. She wondered what he had in store for Mayuri, then felt a shiver run down her spine. Whatever it was, she knew it couldn't be good.

"I see," she said, the thought of two deranged scientist-Shinigami a little too terrifying for her to comprehend. She decided to turn her attention once more to the task at hand. "Szayel? What if Zommari-san doesn't know where Ulquiorra is?"

"Then I suppose you'll have to keep searching, won't you?"

She groaned softly. "I know someone from the former Espada has to know where he is. If Stark-san found Zommari-san, then surely the others..." She trailed off a bit before starting again. "But trying to find the other six--"

"Five," he corrected her.

"Huh?" Orihime looked down at her fingers, counting off the number of Espada minus himself, Ulquiorra, Stark and Zommari, then looked back at him. "Why five?"

"You won't find Aaronniero, the former Novena Espada, here." Szayel stopped. "More accurately, you would find him everywhere."

"What do you mean?"

"Arrancar are Hollows that have removed their mask and, in doing so, gained Shinigami powers. All the Espada you knew, before they had been transformed, were Menos, a type of Hollow composed of hundreds upon hundreds of Hollows. Within the Menos there are three groups, stages if you will: the weakest are the Gillian, then the Aduchas, and then the most powerful of the three are the Vasto Lorde. Aaronniero was the only Gillian to be an Espada."

"Okay," she said slowly, "but what does this have to do with me not finding him?"

"I'm getting to that," he said, irritated at her impatience. "There are many differences between the three, however, the single feature that distinguishes the Gillian is that it has no identity of its own. All the Hollows within its form work together as one.

"This is not the case with the Aduchas and the Vasto Lorde. With them, the Hollow with the strongest will takes control." He stood up, moving to the back of the room, and slid open a screen, taking out a small futon. As he laid it down, he said, "Over time, the form begins to take on the characteristics and personality of that Hollow, with the others acting as a sort of support system. Even now I can still sense the other souls that acted as my support, though when I see their faces they are the faces of strangers."

She nodded. "I understand now." She stared at him curiously. "What are you doing?"

"It's late," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He straightened the futon and sheets one last time.

"You...don't have another one, do you?"

He turned to her. "I live alone. Why would I?"

Orihime looked at the floor and inwardly winced. It would be hard to get a good night's sleep on something so hard, but she was just going to have to bear it.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, watching him cross the room.

He pointed to the futon. "That's where you're sleeping."

"But that's yours." She was surprised that he was actually acting like--dare she say it?--a host. "It wouldn't be right--"

"Don't take it the wrong way," he said curtly, laying down a foot away. He tried to get comfortable on the cold floor. "I'd simply rather not hear you complaining the whole way that your back is aching or that you're tired because you couldn't sleep."

Of course. Why had she expected anything more?

She walked over to the futon, past the small fire in the center of the room that was slowly dying out. It let out just enough light for her to see where she was going. She could tell Szayel was still awake, watching her as she slide in-between the sheets of the futon--his futon.

The idea of having to sleep in the same room as him had initially unnerved her; she hadn't expected his home to have only one room. But thankfully for her, she didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts. The journey to Soul Society and walking all over the first district of Rukongai had drained her completely, and soon she was fast asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you for all the reviews for last chapter! I really appreciate it.

I know this chapter is late, but for whatever reason I just could _not_ get it written out. To make up for that, it's slightly longer than usual.

Anyway, enjoy and please don't forget to review!

* * *

"Wake up."

Orihime could feel herself slip out of blissful sleep into consciousness and tried to open her eyes, but no matter how hard she tried they remained shut. In the back of her mind she could feel a slight nudge, like there was something important she was forgetting, something worth climbing out of the futon for.

"Five more minutes," she mumbled, tossing the thick covers over her head.

She let out a heavy sigh. Vaguely, she could hear the padding of feet getting closer to her, and before she knew it, the covers had been violently ripped off her. Only then did her eyes pop open. Thankfully the room was still dim, though a bit of early morning light was beginning to pour in from the only window in the hut.

She shivered slightly at the sudden chill that washed over her body. Looking up she saw Szayel, his eyebrow twitching as he dropped the covers close to her head.

"I see you're awake now," he said smugly, then walked over to the center of the room. The fire that had died out during the night was now fully ablaze again, slowly warming the room. "Sleep well?

She stretched for a moment before pushing herself up and walking over to him, a bit of sleep still in the corners of her eyes. She could hear his unspoken words, even hear the bitter tone in which they would be said: _In my bed?_

"I did. Thank you, Szayel." She knelt next him and noticed from his profile that the same could not be said for him. "What about you?"

"I'll manage," he said stiffly, then continued stirring the contents of the blackened pot that rested above the fire.

She eyed the contents, a strange broth that looked too green in her opinion. "I know I'll regret asking, but...what is that? I don't think I've ever seen something that green outside of a--"

"Chemistry lab?" he finished for her. Szayel hesitated before saying, "It's best you don't know. It's not anything that will kill you, though I doubt you will like it much. For most people it's too bitter."

Nodding, Orihime stood up and made her way to the futon. She picked up the discarded covers and started folding up it up, along with the rest of the futon. She was about to put it back in its proper place, or at least the place she had seen him take it out of, when something silver caught her eye. She pulled out the foreign object before sliding the futon in.

"Glasses?" she giggled softly, taking a closer look at the metallic object. Yes, they were glasses, the oval-shaped wire frame about the same size as the mask he once had as an Espada. She glanced back at Szayel, who already had two bowls in hand and was filling them with soup.

It seemed even he didn't feel quite like himself without eyewear decorating his face.

She was about to ask him how he looked in them--she was certain he would almost look like his former self with them on--but she got the feeling that he didn't want anyone to see them. And for a reason. Why else would they be almost shoved into the back of the tiny cubby?

She placed them on top of the futon, only so they didn't get damaged, then took a seat next to Szayel. He handed her a bowl, but all she could do was stare at the broth, the steaming wafting across her face.

"As soon as we finish we can leave," he said, not looking at her. "We should be there by mid-morning if we don't dawdle."

Orihime took a cautious sip before a smile broke out on her face. She turned to Szayel. "What are you talking about, this is too bitter? It's just right!" Taking another sip, she added, "And here I was worried about your cooking."

Szayel looked down at the bowl in his hands, then back at her, before shaking his head. "They were right."

"They?"

"The Arrancar who became your cooks while you were in Las Noches," he said. "They always complained that you had such strange taste in food." Taking a sip he cringed, the bitter liquid sliding down his throat. "I guess they were right after all."

* * *

It was still early in the morning when they set out to meet Zommari and, inevitably, Stark, who was with him. Even though it was starting to warm, Orihime could tell it was going to be a chilly day, but a beautiful one nonetheless. The sky was a perfect blue, with not a cloud in sight for the sun to hide behind. The trees around them thickened, their bare branches casting shadows on the ground.

It didn't take long until they were in the next district's town. It was very similar to First District, though most of the buildings were more like Szayel's home, small but not quite as extravagant as some of the ones closer to Seireitei.

Only one more district to go, she thought to herself. She tried not to get excited; she knew that it was not a guarantee that Zommari would know where Ulquiorra was, but somehow she found herself becoming antsy as they got closer to the edge, where Second District met Third.

"Where are Zommari-san and Stark-san?" Orihime asked, turning to Szayel curiously. "I mean, are they somewhere near the center, or are they on the other side, closer to the Fourth District?"

"They're not too far from here," he answered after a moment. "I would say somewhere between the beginning of the district and the middle."

She nodded. "I guess that's why you said we wouldn't take too long. It makes sense. You don't think they'll be upset that we stopped by uninvited, do you? Though I guess it would be hard to contact them, seeing how you don't have a phone. And even if you did, I'm not sure that they would have a phone. Now that I think about, are there even phones here in Soul Society--"

Szayel stared at her before shaking his head. "I take it you're nervous about this meeting."

"Huh?" Orihime said, her rambling halted. Her eyes widened. "What do you mean? I'm not--"

"Only a minute ago you were so silent I thought that perhaps you weren't there. Now you can't shut up," he said, amused and slightly annoyed. "You realize the worse Zommari can say is that he doesn't know."

"I know. That's what I'm afraid of."

An awkward silence fell between them as they walked. As expected, he offered no words of comfort to her, leaving her to mull in her own worries. She was only too glad when Szayel told her they were there.

"A temple?" she asked, looking up the long flight of steps they would have to take to reach the very top. She didn't relish the thought of climbing the narrow flight, especially after all the walking they had done, but she knew she had no choice.

He started climbing the steps with easy, one that Orihime found herself envying. "Stark is only here temporarily, but yes, this is where Zommari has decided to stay." He looked up at the temple and smirked. "Somehow, though, the ambiance seems appropriate for the former Septima."

After what felt like an eternity, her legs burning and slightly wobbly, Orihime took a look around. The temple itself, despite its simplicity, was far more impressive close. Like most of the ones she had visited it was clean, the few autumn leaves that still remained on the ground raked into a pile, where they would later be burned. Small bushes lined the perimeter of the temple, stone figures lining the graveled pathway up to the front steps.

And up those steps were Zommari and Stark, looking the same as ever--maskless, of course. Still, nothing about their manner had changed from what she could remember. Zommari was seated with one leg crossed over the other, his arms in his lap as he meditated. Stark, on the other hand, had lounged across the wooden planks of the patio, an arm over his eyes.

Zommari was the first to notice their presence. He opened his eyes. "Szayel."

"Zommari," Szayel said. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Indeed it has," Zommari agreed, though Orihime noticed there was no regret in his voice. It seemed more of a forced formality than anything else. "Stark said he had met up with you, but I didn't quite believe it. I thought perhaps he had confused his dreams for reality again."

"As if I would do such a thing," a sleepy Stark stated, pushing himself up into a seated position. He blinked a couple of times, then turned to Szayel. "That women, isn't she--?"

"Yes, she is," Szayel said. "Actually, that's part of the reason I'm here."

"Besides the obvious?" Zommari asked. Apparently even he knew Szayel only wanted to keep tabs on their whereabouts.

Szayel nodded. "That's correct." He looked at Orihime expectantly. "Well, now is your time to ask. So ask."

"I know this is a bit forward, Zommari-san," she said softly, her hands held close to her chest. "But I was wondering if you know where Ulquiorra is?"

"...The former Cuarta Espada?" he asked, his deep voice reverberating around her. "I haven't thought about him in a long time, long before I came to Soul Society, let alone seen him."

Orihime bowed, swallowing down a lump that had formed in her throat. She wouldn't cry, not in front of them, but that didn't mean that her heart didn't ache. "Thank you, anyway."

If Zommari didn't know anything more, there was no reason for her to stay. She started to walk away, making her way down the small steps, when Zommari's even voice stopped her.

"Wait," he said, and she stared back, curious. He glanced at Szayel warily before releasing a heavy sigh. "I do not know where Ulquiorra is, however, there might be someone who does."

Orihime could feel the hope inside her grow in spite of herself. "Who?"

"Barragan. He lives five districts away, deep in the forest where Eighth District meets Ninth."

"Where none of us could find him," Stark added lazily, before laying back down. "That sounds like him."

"Thank you," she said, smiling brightly. Out the corner of her eye, she could see a grin cross Szayel's face as well.

"Just don't expect a warm welcome when you get there," Zommari warned. "I had promised him that I would let no one know where he was."

* * *

"I guess this where we say goodbye," Orihime said, as she and Szayel reached the bottom of the long staircase. She tried to bow, as she had done with Zommari, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Szayel?"

He scoffed softly, an odd glint to his eyes that made her stomach twist uncomfortably. "I don't know what you're talking about. You still have yet to show me your other powers."

She flushed. How had she forgotten that part of the agreement? "I can show you now if you--"

"No," he said. She could practically see the wheels in his head turning, and she knew that whatever it was probably wasn't good, especially for her. "I was thinking, perhaps it would be to both our advantages if we stuck together. Just until you found Ulquiorra, of course."

"This morning you seemed like you couldn't wait to get rid of me, and now you're saying we should stay together? Why?"

"Being in Soul Society does not mean things are safe," Szayel said, an edge of warning to his voice. "There are many people here who would more than gladly take advantage of a young woman if they were by themselves, especially the further you get from Seireitei. Not only that, but you are lacking money, are you not? And sadly things do not come without a fee--in one way or another."

Orihime wasn't sure she liked what he was insinuating. "And what about you? What do you get out of this arrangement?"

"Why, I get what I've wanted all along," he said. "To locate the rest of the former Espada."

"But why do that with me?" she asked. "If anything, I'll just be a hinderance."

"That's where you're wrong. Had it been only me paying a visit, Zommari would not have told me Barragan's whereabouts."

"You can't know that."

"Sure I can," he said, his arms moving about him in a sweeping gesture. "Zommari is not one to go back on his word, not to anyone, not for anything. But you, somehow you made him open up, even though I could tell he didn't want to."

She sighed. She didn't really like the idea of traveling with Szayel any longer than she had to, but as much as she hated to admit it, he did bring up good points. And at least this time she was getting something good out of this bargain, not being used purely for someone else's gain.

"All right," she said somewhat reluctantly. She held out her hand. "It's a deal."

He smirked, squeezing her hand. "Deal."

* * *

It was quite troublesome going after Barragan Orihime soon learned. Before she and Szayel could even head over to the Eighth District they had to make a return trip to First, gathering the supplies they might need, just in case their travels turned out to be longer than they expected.

She certainly hoped that wasn't the case.

After that there was walking, walking, and more walking. The scenery that had once enchanted her when she first arrived no longer held the same beauty in her eyes. The weather was still cold as ever, but now as they got even further away from Seireitei, the difference between districts was becoming more obvious--and not for the better.

Did that mean Ulquiorra was living like this...or worse?

She forced those thoughts from her mind as night drew near. True to his word Szayel had paid for everything, from her food to the room she stayed in at the local hotel. She was surprised that he had kept his promise, though she supposed it would do him no good to have to drag her, half-starved and sleep-deprived, across Rukongai. Besides, she got the feeling that he didn't even care about the money, as long as he got the information he so craved in the end.

They were at the edge of Eighth District, practically into Ninth, when Szayel spotted a house in the very back of the forest, nearly hidden by trees. Had she been alone, Orihime was certain she would have missed it.

"I wonder if he'll even open his doors to us," Szayel mused quietly as they made their way to the house, which was more a shack than anything else.

"I know Zommari-san said not to expect a warm welcome," Orihime said, avoiding the branches that peeked out from the ground, just to trip her, "but you don't really think that he would ignore us completely, would he?"

He smiled grimly. "If we're lucky."

It took them longer than she had expected, but eventually they found themselves directly in front of Barragan's house--at least, she hoped it was his home.

"Well," Szayel said, waving his hand, indicating that she take the initiative.

Taking a deep breath, Orihime lightly rapped on the door. A few seconds passed, but she couldn't hear anything coming from inside the house. She decided to try again, a little louder this time, in case her first knocks hadn't been heard, but there was still nothing.

She frowned. "Maybe he's not here. Or maybe this is the wrong house."

"Or maybe," a grumpy voice from inside the house answered, before the old man she knew as Barragan came out to greet them, "I wanted you to leave me the hell alone."

"Nice to see you, too," Szayel said.

Barragan looked at the pink-haired man with obvious disdain. "Damn that Zommari. I told him not to tell anyone where I was, but he--"

"Please, Barragan-san," Orihime said quickly, gaining his attention. "I'm afraid this is all my fault."

"You're that woman. The one Aizen had brought to Las Noches."

"Yes," she said, with a slight cough. Was that how all of them remembered her? "Anyway, we don't want to bother you any longer than we already have, so I'll just ask it plain and simple: do you know where Ulquiorra is?"

Barragan regarded her for a moment. "No, I haven't."

"I see," Orihime said, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice.

"Now that I've answered your question, leave." He turned to Szayel. "Especially you. You're not welcome here."

Szayel laughed wryly. "I've heard that before."

"Wait! I have one more thing I'd like to ask," she said, catching Barragan before he returned inside.

He groaned, his eyes narrowed. "What?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where any of the other former Espada are, would you?"

"No." He hesitated though, his face crinkling in thought. "Though there is a rumor from Twenty-fourth District that sounds awful familiar."

"What is it?" Szayel asked.

"Apparently there's some guy out there who claims to be the strongest. And not just there, but in all of Soul Society. According to the rumor, he's beaten everyone that has fought against him."

Orihime turned to Szayel and saw the same flicker of recognition in his eyes that she knew was in hers.

"Thank you so much, Barra--"

"If you want to thank me, you'll leave me the hell alone." And with that, he slammed the door behind him.

"I guess we're should start heading over there," she said, as they made their way back though the forest.

Szayel nodded in agreement. "Yes. It will be quite interesting to meet up with Nnoitra again..."


	9. Chapter 9

Just a few notes for this chapter:

_Nagajuban_ is an inner kimono. On the Shinigami uniform, it's the white robe that peaks out a bit from under the black.

_Kanzashi_ are Japanese hair pins.

* * *

For the first time since arriving in Soul Society, Orihime could feel pure dread pooling in the bottom of her stomach. She knew that the lead might bring her to Ulquiorra, but the urge to give up and try something else--she wasn't sure at the moment what that something else could be--was very tempting.

She really didn't want to have to see Nnoitra again.

"Maybe we're wrong," she told Szayel.

He looked back at her curiously. "About what?"

"The person that Barragan was talking about. Maybe it's not Nnoitra," she said, biting her lower lip. "Maybe it's someone else, like Grimmjow. Or maybe it's someone who wasn't a former Espada."

"I had considered that," he said. "But I know you felt it, too. There's something about this rumor that has the air of familiarity around it. Besides, I've heard Nnoitra boast one-too-many times how he was going to prove to everyone in Las Noches that he was the best."

She turned to him, intrigued. "The way you talk about him reminds me of how Ulquiorra speaks of Yami. Were you two..." She tried to think of another word other than 'friends,' seeing how Ulquiorra's shadow was quite adamant that no such thing could occur between Arrancar. "Did you get along better with him than the others?"

"I suppose you could say that," he said, with a slight shrug. "I had helped him out on a number of occasions, he helped me out. At one time I had wanted to join forces with him because of our similar goals, but that never happened. Even after that I never held the same disdain for him that Ulquiorra did."

The words themselves didn't reveal anything, but there was an odd tone to his voice that she had heard before, when Ulquiorra's shadow was talking about Ulquiorra's not-friendship with Yami.

"Oh."

"It seems, though," he continued slowly, rolling the words around on his tongue as he glanced at her out the corner of his eye, "that the same could not be said for you. I think I can guess why."

"No, it's nothing like--well, maybe it is kinda like that," she said, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I was just thinking how odd it was that both you and Ulquiorra chose to...associate with others who some would consider lower than yourselves."

He smirked in response, but said nothing. Apparently it pleased him to know that she thought he was "higher" than Nnoitra.

They had been traveling for a while now, stopping at two or three--or was it four?--inns on the way. Finally they found themselves in the Twenty-fourth District, but without any idea of where they were supposed to find the former Quinta Espada, they found themselves wandering around aimlessly.

"Are you excited to see him again?" she asked, mostly to ignore the throbbing of her feet.

"I don't believe 'excited' is the right word," he said. "I would say more amused than anything else."

"Oi, Szayel!"

Surprised, they turned around at the sound of the voice, though it certainly wasn't one that was unknown to either of them. At the end of the street they had just passed through was Nnoitra, his trademark wide grin plastered onto his face, pointing his sword at Szayel. He slowly sauntered up to them, soaking in the gasps and pleased chuckles from the spectators on the street, until finally he stood a few feet away.

"It seems that in your time here you've come to appreciate a sense of theatrics," Szayel noted. "But honestly, you know that I'm not one to fight, not in that arena, anyway."

Nnoitra chuckled, lowering the sword to his side. The people around them who had stopped, hoping for a good fight to ensue, grumbled and rolled their eyes, then returned to what they had been doing.

"Yeah, I know," Nnoitra said. "Still, I can't believe you'd walk around here unarmed."

"Unarmed?" Szayel repeated disbelievingly. He put his hands inside the folds of his kimono and pulled out a small dagger. "Hardly."

Nnoitra rolled his eyes.

_Eyes_, Orihime realized blankly, staring at the spot where there used to be an eyepatch. Not just one eye, but both of them. That's right, his hollow hole had been right there, hadn't it? But he wasn't an Arrancar anymore, so she supposed it made sense that the other eye would be in its proper place.

Speaking of eyes, Nnoitra's seemed to have found their way over to her, his gaze drifting all over her body and resting in one place in particular. It made her feel uncomfortable and, worst of all, dirty, but she refused to flinch. She couldn't deny, though, that it was tempting to scoot a little behind Szayel, just so that he would have to deal with that perceiving stare instead of her.

"Pet-sama," Nnoitra said, his grin growing wider as he took a step towards her. "A present, Szayel? You really shouldn't have."

"I didn't," Szayel said, his eyes narrowing slightly. She had hoped maybe he would step in between her and Nnoitra, but instead he looked to her expectantly. "Well, if you want to ask, you'd better do it now."

"R-right." Orihime gripped the front of her kimono out of habit and said, "Nnoitra-san, do you know where Ulquiorra is?"

He stared at her for a moment, blinking, then let out a roaring laugh. "I knew it. He wanted to deny it, but I knew from the way he looked when he walked out of that room that _something_ was up."

"Um...," she said hesitantly, then glanced at Szayel, hoping that maybe he would know what the former Quinta Espada was talking about. He shrugged in response, so she looked back at Nnoitra. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you're talking about."

Nnoitra nodded knowingly, which for some reason unnerved her. "He's got you 'trained' damn well if you're all the way out here searching for him." He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Lucky bastard."

"What's that supposed to--"

"Do you know where Ulquiorra is or not, Nnoitra?" Szayel asked, his eyebrow twitching.

"Nah, no idea. Last time I saw him was when he was putting Pet-sama in her place."

"What about the other Espada?" Szayel asked.

"Well," Nnoitra started, his eyes half-lidden, "now that's something I can help ya with. Follow me."

He started padding off in the direction she and Szayel had been heading before they had been stopped. They followed a couple of paces behind him.

"I wonder who it is?" Orihime whispered to Szayel, leaning over so that Nnoitra wouldn't hear her.

Szayel shook his head, but there was the hint of a smirk on his face. "Does it really matter, as long as they know Ulquiorra's whereabouts?"

"I suppose not," she agreed.

When they got to the end of the street they turned left, stopping in front of the nicest building the district had to offer. Light music could be heard pouring out from the entrance.

Nnoitra looked back at them, smirking. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

Why did that worry her, she wondered, as she watched him disappear into the building. After a minuted he returned with a woman with cocoa skin, blonde hair, and the most beautiful aqua eyes.

"Halibel-san," Orihime said in awe, taking in the other woman's appearance.

Her kimono was beautiful, intricate designs of fish, sharks, and other ocean life woven into the fabric in silver and gold threads. Underneath that was layer upon layer of nagajuban, each one a different shade of blue or green. Her hair was pulled up and twisted into itself, held up by at least three kanzashi, and her lips was colored a deep shade of red, though no other makeup tainted her face.

"Tia," Szayel said evenly, nodding his head in her direction. "What a surprise to see you here."

"I could say the same about you," she said, her eyes narrowed as she focused on him. She folded her arms across her chest. "What are you doing here, and with the woman Aizen had brought to Las Noches?"

"We're sorry to have bothered you, Halibel-san," Orihime said softly, somehow more intimidated by the beautiful women standing before them than Nnoitra. "We just wanted to know if you knew where Ulquiorra is?"

Halibel shook her head. Well, at least she didn't drag the moment out longer than necessary. Orihime still felt her frown deepen and her shoulders sag a bit, but at least her disappointment was not as heavy as before.

Or maybe she was just getting used to all these former Espada saying they didn't know.

"What about the other Espada?" Szayel asked.

Halibel considered him for a moment, then slowly shook her head again. "If that's all you have to ask, I'll lead you to the edge of this district." She turned to Nnoitra. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Wait inside."

"Fine," Nnoitra said, a hint of irritation lacing his voice.

Orihime found herself envying the grace Halibel had. Even in her simpler kimono she found herself speed walking to keep up with the other women. How was she able to walk with all those layers on? When they reached the end of the district, she turned to Orihime, the seriousness melting away, if only slightly.

"I do not know where Ulquiorra is, but I do know the whereabouts of another. It will be dangerous and take a long time to get there, but if you have come this far, I'm certain you won't be deterred."

"Who is it?"

"Grimmjow. He lives on the very edge of the Fifty-third District, near the Fifty-fourth." She glanced at Szayel. "I didn't want to tell you with Nnoitra present. It seems those two have...unfinished business, but I would rather not be the reason that they finish it."

Orihime bowed. "I understand. Thank you, Halibel-san."

* * *

"I'm starting to think we may never find Ulquiorra," Orihime said, though to herself or to Szayel she wasn't entirely sure. "What if he isn't in Soul Society at all?" She looked at him, worried. "I heard that not all souls come here. That some go to..." She couldn't bring herself to finish.

"If someone like me or Nnoitra was able to make it to Soul Society," he said, "then I have no doubt that Ulquiorra made it, too."

Halibel hadn't been kidding when she said that it would be a long journey. The days blurred into one another, and soon Orihime couldn't remember how long it had been since she arrived. It felt like ages ago.

They were nearing the end of Fifty-third District, where Grimmjow was supposed to be, and the sun was already starting to set. If they didn't find him soon, they would have to rest for the night in one of the inns, not that it would have been any better than sleeping outside. The town looked as though it were starting to fall apart, but by some miraculous force hadn't. Yet.

"What the hell do you two think you're going here?"

They turned to face the former Sexta Espada, who stood no less than three feet away, at the edge of the small forest separating the two districts. His arms were folded across his chest, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

Szayel chuckled in response. "It's nice to see you again too, Grimmjow."

"Especially you," Grimmjow said, staring at Orihime intently. "I thought that Shinigami friend of yours came to save you already. Did you still get yourself killed anyway?"

"No, no, nothing like that," she said quickly. She took a step forward, her brows furrowed. "Look, Grimmjow, I just want to ask you a couple of questions, and then we'll leave you alone."

He eyed Szayel suspicious.

"What she says is correct, Grimmjow," the former Octava Espada said. "Now that I know your whereabouts, I have nothing further that I require from you."

"You're planning something again, aren't you?" Grimmjow demanded, his fists clenching. "Dam you, Szayel, we're not your damn guinea pigs!"

"You know, if you would let her"--Szayel's gaze shifted to Orihime before returning back to Grimmjow--"ask her questions, the sooner we could part ways."

Grimmjow groaned. "Then ask."

"Do you know where Ulquiorra is?"

"No, that's what I've been trying to find out myself." He ran his fingers through his hair, shooting a glance deeper into the forest. "But that damn Yami, he refuses to tell me where he is."

Orihime's eyes widened. "You mean, Yami knows where he is?"

"He has to! He was the only Espada I ever saw Ulquiorra talk to willingly," Grimmjow reasoned. "Whenever I ask, though, he says he has no idea, but I know that's a lie."

Szayel cleared his throat. "Did it ever occur to you that perhaps Yami truly does not know Ulquiorra's whereabouts?"

Guessing from the look on Grimmjow's face, such a thought had never crossed his mind.

"I knew I was wasting my time with that idiot," he grumbled, shoving his hands into his sleeves. He brushed past them. "I could have made it to First District by now if I hadn't stayed in this hell hole."

Orihime reached out for him, confused. "Grimmjo--"

"Let him go," Szayel said, pushing her hand back down to her side as he watched Grimmjow disappear from view. "We have to find Yami before the sun sets."

"But didn't Grimmjow say--"

He started walking in the direction Grimmjow had been staring a few minutes earlier. "He was right. If anyone would know where Ulquiorra is, it would be Yami. However, even Yami is not that big of a fool to let Grimmjow know Ulquiorra's location."

"I see," she said, trailing after him. "And what if he really doesn't know?"

"...Then maybe your earlier assumption was correct after all," he said ominously.

It didn't take them long to reach Yami, who was leaning against one of the thicker tress in the forest, a small dog resting next to him. The dog noticed them approaching first, its loud, shrill bark filling the air.

"Shut up, you stupid mutt!" Yami shouted. The dog quieted immediately. "Grimmjow, I told you, I..." He trailed off as they approached him.

"As you can see," Szayel said, amused, "we're not Grimmjow." He leaned closer. "So why don't you tell us where Ulquiorra is?"

Yami scoffed, looking at Szayel disdainfully. "Even if I knew, why would I tell you?"

"Please, Yami-san," Orihime added, almost pleading. "I know you don't want to see him get hurt. That's why you didn't tell Grimmjow where he is, right?" She sighed. "I just want to see him again. That's all."

The sky was already starting to fade into early twilight. The dog started whimpering, and Yami grumbled, shaking his head in dismay.

"He's in the next district, about thirty minutes away from here in a small shack." He frowned, then muttered, "He's not the same as I remember, though."

Orihime felt like her heart was soaring; she could barely contain her happiness. Finally, after all the traveling, after all the disappointment, she would get to see him again. How often had she dreamed of this day since she had arrived in Soul Society?

"Thank you so much, Yami-san," she said, turning on her heel. Szayel followed closely behind her, a smirk on his face.

* * *

"I'm so nervous," she said, placing a hand over her chest, her whole body shaking. "I don't know what to say to him when we get there."

"'Hello' might be a good start."

Orihime laughed lightly. Some of the tension in her body dissipated. "I was being serious."

"So was I," Szayel said.

The forest had thinned considerably since they had left Fifty-third District. The moon was still at the edge of the horizon, but it did little to help light their path. More than once she nearly tripped over a rock or tree root, not that it slowed her down by much.

She was so close, so very close. The thought alone gave her the added strength to keep moving forward.

"I think I see it," she said, pointing to a small building ahead of them. "Ulquiorra's house."

The shack couldn't have been more than a fourth the size of Szayel's home, but she could tell that it was taken care of. The wood was faded, but somehow it added a certain charm to the place. There were no windows that she could see, but as they got closer she noticed a little bit of light peaking out from under the door.

He was right behind the door, she realized. All she had to do was knock, and he would answer. She rapped on the door once. A beat passed before she heard the knob twist, and the door opened.

She covered her mouth, hoping to muffle her slight gasp.

He seemed so different without his mask, so...human. His skin was still as unnaturally pale as ever, but there were no green tear marks running down his cheeks. A part of her missed them; they were as much a part of him as anything else, though without them his eyes seemed to stand out even more than before.

"Ul...quiorra," she said slowly, reaching her hand out to him.

He looked at her curiously. "Yes, that's me. And you are?"

Orihime's hand stopped before it could touch him, her mouth suddenly dry. "What do you mean? You know who I am."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," he said, shaking his head. "But if we've ever met, I do not recall."

Why didn't he remember her?

"She's the woman Aizen had you bring back to Las Noches," Szayel said, the confusion evident on his face.

"Oh!" Ulquiorra said, his eyes wide. For a moment, she thought maybe that had triggered his memory, but instead, "You're a man?"

Szayel forced a grin onto his face. "Yes."

"I'm sorry. It's just with the pink hair, I had assumed that..." He didn't finish, clearing his throat. "Anyway, it's getting late. I don't have a lot to offer, but if you two need a place to stay for the night you're more than welcome here."

And then he smiled at them.

Ulquiorra...smiled. Not a smirk, not a grin, but a truly genuine, happy smile. She had never seen him smile. Ever. The closest thing she had ever seen to one was the first time they had met, and even that was debatable.

"So, are you two newlyweds or...?" Ulquiorra asked politely, glancing between her and Szayel as he stepped away from the doorframe.

Orihime couldn't take it any more. The highs, the lows--it was all too much for her to take. She turned on her heel and ran, not knowing where she was heading. She could hear Ulquiorra and Szayel call after her, but she ignored them, letting her body take her wherever it pleased.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she stopped, her breath coming out in heavy pants. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she fell to the ground. She could feel her eyes water, but she didn't stop the tears from spilling out, trailing down her face.

A few minutes later she heard footsteps coming towards her, but she didn't move. She knew who it was.

"It's not _him_, Szayel," she said, her voice strangely empty. Releasing a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes. "It's not...him..."


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for taking so long to update, especially when I had left the story at such a cliffhanger! But I thank all of you who have left a review. A lot of you have probably figured out what's going on by now, and I applaud you.

So without any further delay, here's the next chapter.

* * *

Orihime brought her knees to her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs. She wasn't crying anymore, but she suspected that was because she didn't have any tears left to shed. To say she was sad would have been both correct and completely wrong. There was an element of sadness, yes, but it was more disappointment that ran through her entire being.

She could hear Szayel make his way over to her, the ground crunching beneath his feet before he stopped and sat down. As she expected there were no words of comfort, no reassuring pats on the back...nothing. And yet, there was an element of respect in the silence between them.

Finally, she lifted her head, her face tinted red. "It was all for nothing, Szayel." She looked down into her lap. "I couldn't find him. The person in that building, that's not him."

Szayel said nothing, his eyes flickering back to the small shack before returning to her.

"What was the point of coming here? We traveled from district to district in hopes of finding either him or clues that would lead to him, but it was pointless," she said, fighting back a sniffle. "I should just go home--"

Before Orihime could figure out what had happened, she felt a sharp flick to her forehead. She let out a small gasp that quickly turned into a groan, her hand flying up to her forehead to ease the slight throbbing.

"That hurt!" she exclaimed. She turned to Szayel with narrowed eyes, his hand still a few inches away from her face. "What was that for?"

"Stupid girl," he said, bringing his hand down. "You should leaving the brooding to Ulquiorra. It doesn't suit you."

Her shoulders slumped, the fight gone as quickly as it appeared when she heard _his_ name. "But, Szayel, that person isn't...He's not..." She couldn't bring herself to finish.

"How disappointing," he said, releasing a heavy sigh. He ran his fingers through his hair. "What happened to the girl who I'd traveled with all this time? She wouldn't have given up so easily. In fact," he said, with a wry smile, "I believe she was the one who insisted we keep going even during the middle of the night, still holding out hope that she would find Ulquiorra."

Orihime could feel a blush spread across her cheeks.

"'He's just a little further,' she would keep saying. I could never understand why she was so certain. There was no solid evidence to suggest he was close, but she made it sound like it was a fact, an undeniable truth. But," he said, pushing himself up off the ground, "it seems you're not that girl at all. Because if you were, you wouldn't let a minor inconvenience like this affect you."

Her eyes widened as he looked down at her, his face surprisingly neutral. Had...he just given her a pep talk?

"Szayel..."

"Stop looking at me like that."

She brought herself to her feet. "Like what?"

"Like I'm the hero in some shonen manga; I'm not," he said, suddenly interested in the forest floor. He folded his arms across his chest. "You're just less annoying when you're not miserable."

A small smile formed on her lips. "I see. So, I take it this was purely for selfish reasons?"

"Of course." He stared back at the shack, where the Ulquiorra who did not act like Ulquiorra was staying. "I think the more important issue we have to face right now is figuring out what is wrong with him."

"You're right," Orihime said sadly. "But what can we do?"

"First we must figure out when this change occurred," Szayel said, slipping into scientist mode with ease. "The last time you saw him as an Arrancar, was he acting peculiar?"

"No." She hesitated for a moment, then added, "At least, not like this."

"Is that so?" he said, sounding like perhaps he had found something important. "What were his last words to you?"

"He said, 'I see.'"

Szayel raised an eyebrow. "That's all?" He scoffed. "That's rather anticlimactic. What was the context in which it was spoken?"

She closed her eyes. The image of sand floating away, just beyond the grasp of her fingertips, entered her mind...

"_Are you afraid of me, woman?"_  
"_I'm not afraid."_  
"_...I see."_

"Well, at least we know that he had not changed to an extreme degree while he was in Hueco Mundo," Szayel said.

"Now that I think about it," Orihime said slowly, "didn't Yami say that Ulquiorra seemed a little off?"

"I believe you're right," he said, with a small nod. "I didn't put much weight into the observation as I should have, since Yami has never been the brightest of the Espada. Unfortunately we don't know the time before the two had met, so whether this change occurred once he arrived in Soul Society or sometime after that remains unknown."

"Then how are we going to figure out what's wrong with Ulquiorra?" she asked.

"Hey, you two," Ulquiorra called out as he made his way over to them, wrapped in a thin blanket that didn't seem to offer much in terms of warmth. "It's a little chilly out here, don't you think? Not to mention it's getting late. Look!"

He pointed to the moon, already starting to climb high into the sky.

That's when it hit her. Orihime grabbed Szayel's arm, shaking it lightly. He nearly jumped at the sudden contact.

"Szayel, I know what it is. I know why Ulquiorra is acting so weird!"

"And what reason is that?"

Ulquiorra glanced between them, the confusion evident on his face. "I'm not sure I understand what you're saying."

Orihime smiled. "It's the shadow!"

"Shadow?" Szayel repeated.

"He's a remnant of Ulquiorra, the culmination of his memories, his thoughts, his feelings, his hopes, and his dreams," she said, remembering the words he had spoken to her the first time they met. "Maybe, just maybe, this shadow has something to do with Ulquiorra not acting like he should."

"Actually, I think this 'shadow' you speak of is precisely the reason Ulquiorra is acting peculiar," Szayel said thoughtfully. He turned to Ulquiorra. "The only question is, how to do it?"

Ulquiorra's eyebrows furrowed. "Do what?"

"Or perhaps the better question," Szayel continued, ignoring Ulquiorra's discomfort, "is if it is possible to bring this shadow into Soul Society..."

"What is it, Szayel?" she asked. "What do you have in mind?"

An excited glint reflected in his eyes. "Unlike all the king's horses and all the king's men, _we're_ going to put Ulquiorra back together again. But first, we need all the pieces."

* * *

"Shouldn't we go inside?" Ulquiorra asked, looking between Orihime and Szayel. "It's only going to get colder out here, and I can barely feel my nose."

They stared at him, not sure how to react to such words coming out of the former Cuarta Espada's mouth. Szayel raised an eyebrow, unamused, while Orihime continued to look at him with worry. She shook her head before returning to the task at hand.

But trying to call the shadow was easier said than done. She frowned at this realization. When she was in the world of the living he would show up the moment she called for him--or even before then. At least, that's how it felt sometimes.

So why couldn't she get him to come now that she was in Soul Society? Did it just take longer for him to travel, or maybe...was it that he wasn't allowed there at all?

"I don't feel like it's working," she said, turning to Szayel sadly.

He sighed. "Keep trying."

"If this is going to take long," Ulquiorra said, earning a glare from the former Octava Espada, "we should all go in and have a cup of tea. It would be bad if we got sick staying out in the cold, right?"

"You realize that the cold does not result in one being sick," Szayel said, a muscle in his face twitching. "It lowers your resistance, making one more susceptible to illness, but it is not the cause of the illness itself."

Ulquiorra blinked, then said, "Either way--"

"Maybe he's right, Szayel," Orihime said, opening her eyes. A light sheen of sweat covered her brow. "Every time the shadow appeared was in my room, so that shouldn't stop him from appearing." She looked up at the sky. The moon was nearly at its highest peak. "If he _can_ come."

"Besides," Ulquiorra said, shooting her a smile, "I think it would be best if you didn't wear yourself out. You look like you're about to pass out."

She tried her hardest not to shudder at the grin plastered on Ulquiorra's face. When she was still a "guest" at Las Noches, how many times did she imagine what Ulquiorra would look like if he just smiled? The image she'd had in her mind didn't match up to the reality, though, perhaps because she had always envisioned something more...restrained.

She stood up, brushing the dirt off her clothing. "Thank you for your concern, Ulquiorra, but I'll be fine."

They made their way to the small shack, and once they were inside even Orihime could tell Szayel was thankful for the fire in the center of the room. Despite the rough exterior, it was obvious that Ulquiorra had kept his home tidy, the wooden floors almost entirely free of dust and dirt. The walls were bare except for a few bouquets of dried flowers. More of these flowers hung from the ceiling on strings.

She didn't even have to look at Szayel to know that they were wearing similar expressions of pure disbelief. Ulquiorra didn't seem to notice, mistaking their shock as curiosity.

"They're flowers from my garden," he said, taking a couple of bouquets down.

"You...have a garden?" Szayel asked, as he sat next to the fire. The surprise was gone from his face, but there was still a hint of it in his voice. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"It's relaxing," Ulquiorra said, shrugging. He grabbed a pot from a corner of the room and filled it with water from a small bucket, placing above the fire. "Tea?"

"We'd appreciate it," Orihime said.

"It's nothing." He grabbed a couple of cups while they were waiting for the water to boil. "However, I do have a couple of questions for you, like...who are you? And why do you know my name?"

"My name is Inoue Orihime," she said softly, placing a hand on her chest. "And that's--"

"Szayel Aporro Granz," Szayel cut in.

Ulquiorra bowed slightly from his seated position. "It's a pleasure to meet both of you. And now that I know your names, Inoue-san, Granz-san, would you please explain to me how it is you know who I am?"

She wanted to tell him the truth, but she knew that would only make them sound crazy--that is, if he didn't already believe them to be crazy, with all their talk of how he wasn't acting "right." She didn't have the heart to lie to him, though.

Thankfully, Szayel didn't have the same reservations. "We'd heard from your friend, Yami, that you were very kind to travelers who needed a place to stay for the night. We didn't plan to impose upon you, but it was getting late. It was either sleep out in the middle of the woods, or..."

He was a very good liar, she realized, as he took a moment to let his explanation sink in. There were no nervous tells like the trembling of a leg or the lick of his lips; he didn't seem any more or less interested in the conversation than he had before. Much to her relief, Ulquiorra seemed to buy the story at face value.

The kettle whistled a few seconds later.

"That was kind of Yami," he said, a bit of pride coloring his voice. He grabbed a piece of cloth and, holding the kettle, poured the water into the cups. "I'm afraid I only have green tea. Is that all right with you?"

"That's fine," Szayel said, then turned to Orihime. "Have you still been calling to this 'shadow' of yours?"

She nodded slightly. "I have, but..."

"Nothing."

"Yes."

He sighed. "Maybe we should call it a night. We can always try again in the morning."

"No, we can't. He can only come at night. Even he doesn't know why," she said, knowing that would be his next question. "That's just the way his powers work."

"How very inconvenient," he shot back, taking a small sip of his tea.

Orihime yawned softly, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it? I feel like we've been up forever!"

"I'm afraid I don't have a clock in my home, Inoue-san," Ulquiorra said. "But if you feel tired, allow me to offer you my futon to sleep on. It's not much, but I couldn't stand to see a woman sleeping on the cold, hard floor."

Szayel rolled his eyes as he took another sip. "I would say it's somewhere around midnight, considering the position of the moon the last time we saw it."

"Thank you, Ulquiorra," she said, as he unrolled the futon for her. She bowed slightly as she passed him, then slid under the covers and closed her eyes.

She could hear still hear the crackling of the fire a few feet away, but that was the only noise that filled the room. She was surprised that Szayel wasn't prodding Ulquiorra further, like she had expected he would, but perhaps that was because he did not find the former Cuarta Espada "interesting" as he was.

Broken.

* * *

Her eyes opened with a start. She didn't even remember falling asleep, but as she looked around the room she realized she must have dozed off a few hours ago. The fire seemed to have died out recently, the embers glowing orange and red. Szayel and Ulquiorra lay on opposite sides of it, the latter still wrapped up in a blanket.

She sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes, confused. She was tired, but her body was on full alert. Why?

There was something that felt familiar about the scene that played out before her, but she couldn't figure out what, her mind still hazy from sleep.

That's when she saw it--the familiar green tendrils spinning and swirling in the middle of the room, a foot away from where she lay. She followed the path of iridescent threads across the room, over the sleeping forms of the two males, until they reached the door. They were slipping in through the small crack above the floor.

The sight seemed even more breathtaking than before. The greens were brighter, the actions more exaggerated as the tendrils quickly clumped together, forming the figure she knew all too well.

Pushing the covers to the end of the futon, Orihime stood, then took a few step towards him. "Shadow?"

"Woman," he said, turning to face her. His face was as serious as ever. "What did you require of me?"


	11. Chapter 11

As always, thank you so much for all the reviews. Only one more chapter to go! So please, remember to keep those reviews coming.

* * *

"You're really here," Orihime said, as though to convince herself it was true. "I didn't know if you would be able to come."

"It was extremely difficult," the shadow said, an almost pained look on his face. "There's something in the barrier surrounding this world that kept me from entering."

She frowned. "I'm sorry that you had to go through so much trouble. I wouldn't have asked you to come, but it's important for you to be here."

"She's right," Szayel added from his spot in the center of the room. He walked over to them while trying to smooth out the wrinkles in his kimono. When had he woken up? Hadn't he been asleep just a few minutes ago? Noting the curious expression on her face, he said, "It's rather difficult to sleep when you're making so much noise."

She placed her hands on her cheeks, hoping to cover her deepening blush. "I'm sorry, Szayel. I didn't think I was too loud. I just--"

"It's no matter," he said, waving his hand carelessly. "I wanted a good look at this

'shadow' before we got down to business." He turned to the shadow, grinning. "Well, well, I never thought I'd ever see that disapproving look again. How nostalgic."

The shadow narrowed his eyes, then glanced at Orihime. "What is he talking about?"

"I suppose you wouldn't know, would you?" Szayel asked, cutting in before she had the chance to answer. "You see, Ulquiorra--the real one--is a little lacking in the personality department. Or perhaps more accurately, he doesn't have the right one."

"What does that have to do with me?"

Szayel's smirk widened. "It has everything to do with you. You had no idea how right you were when you said you were and weren't Ulquiorra. You're very much a part of him, just as he is a part of you. Without each other, neither you nor he is complete."

"That's why you wanted me here," the shadow said evenly. "How were you planning to make the two of us one entity?"

"I've considered a couple of things. Unfortunately, if it's true that you can only exist in this realm at night, then all of them will take more time than we have," Szayel said with a sigh. He looked over to the real Ulquiorra, still wrapped in the blanket, his eyes closed. "But perhaps we're thinking too hard about this. Maybe the solution is right in front of us."

Orihime could see the gears in Szayel's head turning. Her gaze shifted between him, the shadow, and Ulquiorra. "What do you mean?"

"Go wake Ulquiorra up," Szayel said thoughtfully, his arms folded across his chest. "There's something I want to try."

She walked over to the still sleeping form of Ulquiorra--how he was able to sleep with all the ruckus around him, she had no idea--and knelt down, shaking his shoulders gently. She hoped it would be enough to rouse him, but he slept on. Sighing, she tried again, more forcefully this time.

"Ulquiorra," she insisted. She was very much tempted to pull off the blankets he had wrapped around him; maybe that would get him to wake up. "Ulquiorra."

"Hm?" he said groggily. He blinked a couple of times, then, pushing the covers off to the side, forced himself into a sitting position. "Is something wrong, Inoue-san?"

She stood up, glancing back. "The shadow Szayel and I were talking about earlier. He's here."

"Oh!" Ulquiorra exclaimed as he got to his feet. He looked past her, to where the shadow stood a few feet away. "It's a pleasure to meet--"

He didn't finish, the words caught in his throat. To be fair, Orihime couldn't blame him. How odd would it be to stand face-to-face with a stranger who looked almost exactly like you?

Ulquiorra continued to stare at the shadow, wide-eyed. "How strange! It's like there are two me's here!"

The shadow raised an eyebrow slightly, but said nothing for a long time. Finally he turned to Szayel and said, rather distastefully, "I see what you meant before about never seeing the disapproving look again."

"Unfortunately so," Szayel said. "I never thought the day would come when I would relish it, but...here we are."

"Now that he's awake," Orihime said, "what were you planning to do, Szayel?"

"Well, I had hoped that with the real Ulquiorra awake, nature would take its course and bring the two fragments together, but I guess that would have been too easy," he said, chuckling. "I think your optimism is starting to rub off on me."

She smiled. "I'm sorry." Her smile lessened as she continued to look between Ulquiorra and the shadow. "That means we still don't have any idea how to make them whole, though."

"I know," Szayel said, a bit frustrated. "But I'm out of ideas. Unless, of course, you happen to have any."

She thought about it for a moment, tapping her finger against her jawline, her other hand on her hip. "Maybe," she said slowly, worried that he would shoot down her idea before she had the chance to say more, "all they need is a little push."

"...I'm not sure I follow."

"Maybe all we need to do is push one of them into the other," she said. "You know, step in where nature failed to."

A laugh escaped Szayel's lips. "I'm not sure that will work either, but it's worth a try."

"You realize how foolish this sounds. Did you even consider how this task of merging us together would be accomplished?" the shadow asked. She and Szayel remained silent, and the shadow released a heavy sigh. "If you want to finish this tonight, you'd better hurry. I can already feel the sun of this world starting to rise, pushing me out." He glanced at Orihime sadly. "If that happens, I cannot promise you that I will be able to return tomorrow night, like I can in your world."

She nodded, but couldn't bring herself to look him straight in the eyes.

Ulquiorra's shadow made his way to the door, eliciting a few confused glares. With his hand on the handle, he turned around. "If you need me, I'll be outside."

And with that he left, closing the door behind him with a light click.

* * *

He watched as the moon made its way back down to the horizon. The sky was lighter than when he had first been called. The shadow placed a hand over his chest, hoping to relieve the pain that intensified with each passing minute. He looked back at the shack, and found himself hoping, not for the first time, that she and former Octava Espada would figure something out--and soon.

"Hey!" a voice called to him. The shadow turned around, a blank stare on his face as Ulquiorra got closer. "Did you have to be mean to them like that? They were only trying to help!"

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, in a bored tone of voice. He returned his gaze to the sky. "Shouldn't you be in there helping them?"

Ulquiorra glared at him. "You didn't answer my question."

"I didn't deem it worthy of answering," the shadow replied, shooting him a piercing look. If he thought about it, he probably would have found it strange that he was, in essence, staring down...himself. "But since you're desperate to know, I was not, as you say, 'mean' to them. It was simply the truth. Even _you_ should know that."

"Still," Ulquiorra said, sitting down beside him, "did you have to put it the way you did?"

"The truth is the truth, no matter how it's said. Besides, why do you care?" The shadow raised an eyebrow. "You barely know them."

"Why should that matter? I don't like seeing people hurt." Ulquiorra paused. "But especially..._her_."

The shadow looked at him curiously.

"It's strange," he continued, pulling his knees to his chest, "but when I first met Inoue-san, it was like I already knew her--even though I didn't know her name." He laughed softly. "I know, it doesn't make any sense. It doesn't to me either. But for some reason I knew, the instant I saw her face when I opened my door, that I never wanted to see her sad--I'd seen it too many times before."

The shadow closed his eyes solemnly, relief pouring into him, relieving the ache he felt. He understood now. There was nothing that she or Szayel could have done to make the two of them one--it had all rested with him.

He hadn't been entirely correct when he said that it was her will that kept him in existence. Over time, he had developed a will of his own, one that had to make sure that she was all right. It was that will that was keeping him from returning to where he belonged.

But not anymore. He would let her go. After all, it wasn't like he would never see her again.

"I see," he said, opening his eyes.

His body started to feel light. The feeling was oddly familiar, and for a moment, he couldn't figure out why. Then it hit him--it was the same feeling Ulquiorra had experienced...when he turned to ash.

Ulquiorra leapt to his feet, his eyes wide. "A-Are you disappearing already?" He started to turn back to the shack. "I need to get Inoue-san and Granz-san! They need to--"

"That's not necessary," the shadow said, stopping Ulquiorra in his tracks.

He looked back at the shadow, the ash starting to encircle him. "What's going on?"

"What _they_ have been trying to achieve since I arrived," the shadow said after a long pause. "Did you mean it, what you said about not wanting to see her sad?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "Every word."

"Then promise me something," the shadow said with a bit of effort. His body was barely there; the only thing left was the right part of his torso and his head.

"Anything."

He realized it was an illogical request, one that would most likely be broken, but he wanted to hear the words anyway. "Whatever you do," he whispered, "don't make her cry again."

"I won't," Ulquiorra said resolutely, so much so that even the shadow wanted to believe him. "I promise I won't."

Breathing one last sigh, he closed his eyes. "Good..."

* * *

It had been a while since Ulquiorra's shadow had left the small shack and a half hour at most since Ulquiorra had followed him. Orihime could barely keep her eyes open. Her body was demanding sleep, begging for it even, though not quite as much as her mind. She had racked her brain for some type of competent-sounding plan, but to no avail.

"You look as though you're about to pass out."

She jumped at the sound of Szayel's amused voice, her eyes suddenly wider than they had been seconds before. "What did you say?"

"I said, 'You look as though you're about to pass out.' Though I can't say I'm surprised," he said with a chuckle. "We've been traveling all day, and we barely had any sleep."

She wiped her eyes as she stretched, hoping to hold back the yawn that threatened to spill out. "I'll be fine. Did you think of anything yet?"

"If I had, you'd know," he pointed out.

Orihime sighed. "I know what you mean. I did come up with something, but since it involves a giant slingshot..."

"I see," Szayel said slowly, not sure what to make of her idea. "Somehow I don't think that our 'guest' would approve of that plan."

"Neither do I," she said. "But I can't think of anything we can do. What if this is the way it's meant to be? What if they're supposed to be split?"

He shrugged, partly in response to her questions, but mostly to loosen the muscles in his shoulders. "I've been considering that, too. However, if that's the case, then you should probably go out there and bring Ulquiorra and his shadow back in here. They'll want to--"

The door opened before Szayel could finish, a light breeze entering the shack. Orihime could see the early morning light behind Ulquiorra's form. The shadow was nowhere to be found, but the moment her gaze rested on Ulquiorra's face, she knew why.

"Ulquiorra...," she said breathlessly. Crossing the room, she stopped in front of him, her fingers itching to touch his face, to prove to herself he was real. "You...and your shadow. You were able to...?"

He nodded solemnly, his face almost expressionless--just like she was used to. There were still no tear marks marring his face, and naturally he didn't have the half-mask on the left side of his head, but everything about him screamed Ulquiorra.

He was back to normal, the way he should be. The way she remembered him to be. The thought brought a small smile to her face.

"If you don't mind," Szayel said, walking to them with an unusual expression on his face, "I think I need a breath of fresh air after spending all night in this shack."

Ulquiorra moved into the room, away from the doorframe, and gave the former Octava Espada an understanding look as he passed by. Szayel nodded in response, closing the door behind him.

"There are some things we need to discuss," Ulquiorra said after a beat had passed. He made his way to the center of the room and sat down, staring at the spot in front of him. "Sit."

Not sure what else to say, she did as he requested. Once she had gotten comfortable, she asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

"You," he said, causing her to blush in spite of herself. "And what you're going to do now."

"I know I have to go back to the world of the living. It's not my time to be here in Soul Society yet. And yet," she said, her eyebrows furrowed, "knowing that, I still want to stay here."

_With you_, she wanted to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"I see," he said, though not in a reprimanding tone like she had expected; it was more matter-of-fact. "Fate truly is a cruel creature, one that keeps the sun and the moon apart."

She stared at him, confused. What was he talking about? "Ulquiorra?"

"But the sun must remember that even if she cannot see the moon, he is always there, thinking of her," he said, softly. "Waiting until fate decides they can be together."

"_Even if you do not see it, the moon is always there."_

Orihime's eyes widened as the words echoed in her mind. Tears started to well up in her eyes, but they did not fall. "Even then...you've been trying to tell me all this time." She forced the lump in her throat down. "But I understand now."

"Hm."

"Ulquiorra?" she asked.

"Hm?"

For a moment, she was back in her bedroom in the wee hours of the morning, his shadow sitting across the table patiently answering all of her questions.

"Do you think...the sun and the moon will ever find true happiness?"

He didn't say anything for a long time. Eventually, his hand reached up to cup her cheek. "I do."

Orihime smiled weakly. "I'm glad."

She'd always imagined her first kiss to be sweet and tender--and most importantly perfect. But nothing she could have imagined could compare to the real thing. Because she realized, as Ulquiorra pulled her closer to him, his lips pressed against hers in a way that made her body tremble ever so slightly, that kisses were not as she had once believed.

They were bittersweet.


	12. Chapter 12

I can't believe this is it. Here we are at the final chapter. I want to thank all the people who've read this story, and particularly to the people who took the time to review. I apologize that you had to wait so long, but hopefully it was worth the wait.

And so, without further ado, I present for your reading pleasure the final chapter of _Moonlight Shadow_. Enjoy, and please remember to review!

* * *

They had waited a day before heading back to First District, getting some much needed sleep in the process. Ulquiorra seemed less-than-pleased that he had to be in such tight quarters with the former Octava Espada, which unfortunately seemed to amuse Szayel all the more. But even Orihime could tell he was anxious to be home, where he could sleep in his own futon.

Then, before she knew it, the day had come.

"While this little trip has been...enjoyable," Szayel said, hoping to break the awkward silence that had settled, "I think it's time for all of us to be heading back to where we belong." He turned to Orihime. "Isn't that right?"

She blushed. "Yes."

"You'd better make sure she returns to the world of the living, Szayel," Ulquiorra said firmly. His eyes narrowed. "If something happens to her, know that I will be paying you a visit."

"I wouldn't dare let anything happen to her," Szayel said, with a mock-gasp. "Besides, it would be a shame if something were to happen before I got to see the last of her God-like powers."

Orihime's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten about their deal. Or maybe, in the back of her mind, she had hoped he would also forget.

She should have known better.

"Ulquiorra," she said uncertainly. Her hand reached out to him. "I..."

She had spent the night before thinking of what she wanted to say to him. Anything but goodbye, she'd decided. The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. But now that she was in front of him, the realization hit her with full force: she wouldn't see him again until it was _her_ time to be in Soul Society.

The words wouldn't come out.

She had a feeling this would happen; but she was prepared.

"I want to thank you for everything." She placed a small scrap of paper into his hands and squeezed them. What she really wanted was to hug him, feel his body beneath her arms, but she didn't trust herself. She knew she wouldn't be able to let go. Ulquiorra looked at her curiously, as if to inquire about the paper she had given him. "I am forever in your debt."

He nodded politely. "I wish you the best in your travels."

Orihime sighed. Even if she had accepted her fate--their fate--that didn't mean she had to like it. Her gaze remained fixed on him for a couple of minutes, until Szayel cleared his throat.

"Let's go," he said. His voice snapped her out of the slight daze she felt. "We want to make the most use out of the daylight, in case you've forgotten."

She shook her head. "Of course."

Walking away from Ulquiorra was probably the hardest task she ever had to endure. Her feet seemed to drag for the first couple of steps, as if they had a will of their own. But soon her steps became lighter, her stride longer. She was about to look back when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"You don't want to look back," Szayel said firmly.

She frowned, but kept her gaze on the path in front of them. "Yes, I do. That's why--"

"No. I mean, you shouldn't look back," he clarified. "Don't make things harder than they have to be."

Again, like all the other times on this strange journey, he was right. If she looked back, she would want to run to Ulquiorra, to stay. Orihime smiled slightly. "I think you're more considerate than you let on, Szayel Aporro Granz."

He rolled his eyes, then started walking faster. "Don't be ridiculous. I just refuse to drag you all the way to First District."

The trip back felt shorter than she had expected. Perhaps this was because they weren't stopping every few districts in search of Ulquiorra or any of the other ex-Espada. Orihime was surprised she and Szayel didn't bump into any of them, though she couldn't say she was displeased either. Seeing someone like Nnoitra or Yami once was good enough for her.

Or maybe the trip felt shorter because she had something else to do other than worry. True to her word, she showed Szayel the other two forms of her powers. He seemed just as intrigued as before, even going so far as to offer her a position as a specimen. He had, of course, been joking.

At least, she _hoped_ he'd been joking.

But more than anything, she realized, the trip felt shorter simply because she wasn't filled with anticipation. At least, not the same type of anticipation. Halfway back to First District, she felt the first true pains of homesickness settle in.

She must have missed her friends, her home, more than she had originally thought.

Finally, they reached a familiar sight, both to her and her pink-haired companion--his home.

"I think you know your way from here," Szayel said. He looked past his house, to the tall wall surrounding Seireitei. "Do you really think they'll let you in?"

"I know the guard from the last time I was here. He should remember me, since I healed his wounds," Orihime said, though she could hear the doubt in her voice. He wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the pack. If he didn't remember her, well--she didn't want to dwell on that. "I'm sure he'll let me in."

"If you say so," he said skeptically.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment, his hand on the handle of the door, her hands behind her back. She wasn't sure what to say to the man who had dragged her around almost all of Soul Society--and that she'd dragged around in return. But she knew that she couldn't just leave without some measure of closure. So she did the one thing she never thought she would ever do in her right mind.

She hugged him.

The former Octava's face blanched. "What--?"

"Thank you, Szayel," she said sincerely. "You were there from the very beginning. And even if you didn't mean to, you kept my hopes up when I thought I had none left. I don't think I could have found Ulquiorra without you."

"Yes, yes, you're welcome," he said, his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away. "Now if you wouldn't mind--"

Orihime let go, looking up at him sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Just...go," he sighed.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Okay."

She didn't have any qualms walking away this time. If anything, her pace had quickened. She would be home soon. The thought was more comforting than she expected.

Szayel didn't go into the house immediately. He watched as the strange girl with the even stranger powers walk away, the destination clear in her mind. Once she was out of sight, he shook his head.

"I never thought I'd be thankful to Aizen for denying my request to be her guard." He smiled wryly. "But perhaps I should be."

* * *

"It's good to have you back, Inoue-san."

Orihime turned around. Her hands still rested on her bag. She had been putting her textbooks away, keeping the ones she would need to complete her makeup work. As it turned out, she had overstayed her visit to Soul Society, staying two weeks instead of one.

"Huh?"

Ishida's smiling face greeted her, as well as Ichigo's and Sado's. Tatsuki was a little behind them. "We're glad you're back."

"I'm glad to be back," she said, returning their smiles.

"Tatsuki," Ichigo said, suddenly serious. "We'll catch up with you later. There's something we need to ask Inoue."

Tatsuki raised an eyebrow, but didn't question Ichigo's request. "All right. But remember, be there at 4:45." She turned to Orihime. "I'll see you at karaoke tonight, right?"

Orihime nodded. "I can only stay for a little bit." She sighed at the thought of all the work in her bag. "But yes."

They waited until they were certain she was gone.

"Inoue," Ichigo said, "we read your note. The one you gave Urahara."

"Are you mad at me?" she asked. "For doing something so selfish?"  Ishida shook his head. "We know you had your reasons. We only wish you had come to us for help instead of going off on your own, but we know it was something you had to do by yourself."

"We were worried, though. We didn't know how you would get back," Sado added.

"Well," she started, embarrassed, "I didn't even think about that until I got to Soul Society. But I knew if I could get into Seireitei, I could get back. That's when I remembered Jidanbou-san, the gate keeper. He could let me in!"

"He remembered you?"

She frowned. "No. I was arguing with him and arguing with him, trying to get him to remember who I was, but he didn't. Thankfully Kuchiki-san was passing by. She must have heard me arguing with him through the wall--we were being pretty loud, I guess--and she told him that it was okay, that I was an ally of the Shinigami, and that he could raise the gate--"

"Rukia was there?" Ichigo asked. He turned to Ishida. "Do you think Urahara told her Inoue was going to be there?"

Orihime looked up thoughtfully. "Kuchiki-san's brother was there, too."

"Byakuya?!"

She nodded. "Yep! He didn't seem too happy to see me there, but he was nice enough. After I explained the whole situation to them, they had me sent back. That is, after I promised I would never go into Soul Society unauthorized ever again."

Sado, Ichigo, and Ishida turned to each other, not sure what to say. Orihime glanced out the window, streams of orange light pouring into the room, then at her watch, her fingers brushing against a silver bracelet in the process.

"It's nearly 5:00!" she exclaimed, and she grabbed her bag. "We said we would meet Tatsuki fifteen minutes ago!"

After some mild curses, reprimands for said curses, and light laughter, they were ready to go. Ichigo lead the way, as always, with Sado trailing close behind him. She and Ishida brought up the rear.

"By the way, Inoue-san," Ishida said, as they shut the classroom door behind them. "Were did you get that bracelet? I don't think you've ever worn it before."

Orihime smiled warmly. "It's a gift...from someone I'll never forget."

* * *

"Ulquiorra? Ulquiorra!"

Ulquiorra turned, his eyebrow twitching. "What is it, Yami? And why is that _dog_ in my home?"

The dog whimpered, giving him what he'd learned was dubbed "puppy dog eyes." Unfortunately for the dog, Ulquiorra was immune to such tactics.

"You never cared about Hitsuji being inside before," Yami muttered. "I see you're back to normal."

Ulquiorra repressed a sigh. Not an easy task, especially when it came to Yami. He ignored his "friend's" grumbling and pulled a slip of paper out from the sleeve of his kimono. Unfolding it, he read the hastily written words. _Her_ words.

His lips turned up ever-so-slightly.

_Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. _


End file.
